FINANCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12868, 21 September 1904, Page 3

FINANCE.

WOOL. SYDNEY, Tuesday. At the wool safe prices were firm; greasies 9Jd, scoureds 19d. HEMP. INVERCARGIL, Tuesday. The Invercargill Chamber of Commerce to day considered a circular from the Agricultural Department regarding flax-grading certificates. A committee whicn had been appointed to report on the question recommended that the form of certificate be adopted, with the exception that “fair” grade should be 65 to 74 points, and “common” anything under 65, it being considered that the present range of 15 points for “fair” was too wide, and that the business would work better if the range •were reduced to 10 points; that the department be written to pointing out the necessity which the chamber thinks exists for appointing inspectors to make i periodical visits to the mills and instruct operatives in the proper methods of manufacturing fibre; and that’ some system be adopted of markIng bales in such manner that the marks could not be removed. The report added that certain exporters were strongly of opinion that in some cases where buyers have made quality claims and called on arbitration, that flax other than that exported has been put before the arbitrators. If bales were branded in such a way that the brands could not be removed, substitution of this kind would be rendered impossible. It was resolved to add a clause to the report recommending that provision be made on the form of cerf tificate to show the weight of flax graded.