THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 7481, 27 March 1888, Page 1

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Tt is altogether beyond question that for relief from the depression more or less prevalent throughout the colony we can only reasonably look to the extension of the field of production. Economic quacks recommend specifics which cannot possibly effect the required purpose, since the tendency of their operation must be rather to impoverish than increase the wealth of the country. The importance, therefore, cannot be over-rated of ascertaining in what direction production may be increased and legitimate industries fostered or created. We published on Saturday a brief summary of some interesting facts in connection with the value of European flax grown as a crop, which were communicated to the ' New Zealand Herald' at the instance of the Hon. Mr Fisher, and we now propose to enter somewhat more fully into the subject, in order to direct attention to the apparently profitable character of the flax crop and to the practically inexhaustible market there is for linen flax in the Old Country. A great deal of information in regard to the flax industry is contained in a speech delivered by Mr Fisher in the House during the first session of last year, when he asked the then Minister for Lands whether, with the view of reviving this industry and encouraging the production of the best fibres, " the Government will procure "and distribute Irish and other flax "seeds amongst the farmers of the " country ; and whether they will place " on the Estimates a sum of £SOO for " the purpose of aiding the introduction "of Wallace and Co.'s lately in- " vented flax - dressing machinery, " which has rendered flax-growing one "of the most profitable and pros* "perous industries in the North of " Ireland V In 1886, it may be mentioned, the Hon. Mr Rolleston had raised the question as to the desirability of offering a bonus for the encouragement of the flax industry, with especial reference to the production of Irish flax. Mr Ballance admitted that it might be as well to do so, since he had had placed in his hands by the honorable member for Wellington South (Mr Fisher) a " correspondence with regard to a new nax- " machine, which, it was said, would " revolutionise the industry." Nothing practical, however, was either done or attempted, and Mr Fisher consequently took action in the succeeding sossion, endeavoring to stir the Government up to concern themselves in the matter. Tn order to justify his question, the substance of which we have quoted above, and reuder his pur« pose intelligible, the honorable gentleman went somewhat fully into the subject. He referred in the first place to his having in 1886 travelled through the North Island in company with Mr John Douglas Smith, a large millowner of Belfast, who was convinced of the peculiar suitability of the soil of New Zealand for flax culture. "Mr Smith," he. said, upon his return to the Old Country, " having visited the Indian " and Colonial Exhibition, and having "inspected the various specimens of "flax exhibited, wrote to New Zea* " land in strong and enthusiastic. "terms, pointing out that as the Old " Country spent annually a sum of "£10,000,000 on the importation of "flax fibre, which large sum went " mainly to Russia, it became almost " a national duty on the part of the- " British colonies—specially naming " Canada and New Zealand—to secure " their share of this large expen- " diture." Mr Fisher was of course aware that the cultivation of flax had practically collapsed in this colony owing to the great expense of preparing it, when grown, for commercial purposes—an expense which had been practically found to render the industry unremunerative. He explained, therefore, that in correspondence with Mr J. Orr Wallace, of the firm of Wallace and Co., Belfast, the inventors of a new scutching machine,, he had satisfied himself that it was quite possible to revive the industry. " This new scutcher had revolutionised " the flax trade; so much so that linen " manufacturers in all parts of Great "Britain, in Scotland as well as in " Ireland, were making special efforts " to induce the farmers to enter into " the cultivation of flax," offering in certain instances to provide the seed, and guaranteeing the purchase of tho straw at a remunerative figure. Wallace's scutcher, the honorable gentleman stated, would produce 50 per cent, more fibre than the old process ; and in these times of agricultural and commercial depression he regarded the invention as one of great importance. Mr Fisher quoted somewhat extensively from a letter received from Mr Wallace, in wMch instructive details are given in re.s:>ect to the cultivation and preparation of the Irish flax. The writer premises that the "Government " should exert themselves to show the " farmer that he can grow a crop that "will find a ready market, and as " against grain will pay three times as "much to the grower." He got samples, he states, of New Zealand grown Irish flax, and had shown them to the principal merchants and spinners who have been accustomed to handling Continental and Irish flax, " Each one agreed with my own "opinion, that finer flax cannot be "grown." There is no difficulty, he continues, about retting of straw, if farmers will follow instructions; but he would strongly advise, he says, the formation of companies who would purchase the straw from the farmers "either on foot or when pulled

"A company could have a staff "of puller 3 whose interest it would "be to have the straw carefully •"pulled, put straight in handfuls to 41 be rippled, and then retted ; then "spread to dry; when dried to bo *' stacked ; and, when required, scutch •" and strip, or spin, if wanted in New "Zealand." The farmers, he adds, who have cattle to feed will find the flax bolls, if rippled off as pulled, green, are worth about £6 per acre; but if kept on until matured and when dry, seed rippled off and cleaned for fiowing purposes, from £8 to £lO per acre. After this he has his crop of flax straw. "If he sells to a company, *« the green straw before being retted ««is worth £3 to £i an acre more, and «< often has a yield of about 2 A tons to '" 3 tons per acre and sometimes more •"when weather has been moist and -"warm. If your farmers did as our "Irish farmers do in many cases—not "save seed fibre alone would pay "them well."

This letter, Mr Fisher said, very clearly showed what the flax industry was doing and was likely to do for Ireland; and "what it was possible "to do there and in Scotland might " surely also he done in this country." There is no question as to our being able to produce the very best description of flax for linen-manufacturing purposes, for which there is a practically unlimited demand ; but the difficulty in the way of establishing the industry would seem to be tho first expense of the new patent scutching machines. The suggestion by Mr Wallace as to the formation of companies who would purchase from the growers the standing crops and prepare the flax by proper processes from beginning to end seems to be a good one. The idea is at least worthy of consideration. If the information we have in part given is to be relied ypon—and there is every reason to believe so—the enterprise holds out fair chances of success; in which case the benefit to the colony would be very appreciable.