N.Z. LINEN FLAX

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1945, Page 3

N.Z. LINEN FLAX

ACREAGE FOR NEXT YEAR ■ • MINISTERS SURVEYS ACHIEVEMENTS P A WELLINGTON, Aug. 23 The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan) announced to-dav thV the British Government is prepared to accept as a final crop offinen flax under the 1940 agreement. ten thousand acres to be soo by November 30, 1945. J his ac age has been allocated over various areas as follows: Blenheim 1.500 acres, Geraldine 1,250, Washayke 2,000, Winton 1,000, Methven 1,500, Fairlie 1,250, and Makikihi 1,500. lhe crop will be harvested in January and February next, and processed fibre will be shipped to Britain. It is conservatively estimated that with the fibre from the 1945 crop. New Zealand will have supplied 6,770 tons of line fibre valued at £1.554.124, and 3.531 tons of tow valued at £245,663, a total value of £1,808,767, to the British Ministry oi Supply for spinning into cordage-, threads, yarns, etc. Mr. Sullivan said that the results of this assistance and the development of the industry as a whole represented an epic achievement in our contribution to helping Britain with vital war material. While helping the British war effort we were able to make good the shortage of linen flax products that would have occurred had the industry not been commenced in New Zealand during a critical period of the war. The Minister asked farmers in various districts to take up acreages allotted their particular districts, thus enabling factories to keep in operation and retain in employment factory Workers until the post-war organisation which would take over the factories was in a position to do