FLAX INDUSTRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 12 July 1923, Page 2

FLAX INDUSTRY.

EXPERIMENTAL WORK. (BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) PALMERSTON N. ; July 11. "There will be no immediate effects on the industry as the result of the abandonment through, lack of funds of I the experimental work which the Flaxmillers' Associatipn is doing at Miranui in order to combat the yellow leaf disease in flax, but no doubt the industry will feel the effects in the future," remarked Mr. A. Seifert, who was a leading figure in promoting the experiments, when interviewed on the subject of the Government's decision to agree to a subsidy of £1 for £1 on an additional grading fee of 6d per ton on flax. The fund derived will be utilised for the purpose of continuing experiments. "What the Government has done," said Mr. Seifert, "is to agree to subsidise us £1 for £1 up to £290, and although we are not aware of the reason for limiting it to this sum, we presume that the Government took last .'year's grading quantity and based the subsidy on that. It will be remembered, however, that last year the mar- ' ket was in a very depressed condition. What the millers want is security and the granting of a fixed sum, which we wei*e prepared to subsidise by agree- . ing to an inweased grading charge. : Our main reason for approaching the ! Government was to ask for support in j the work of selecting very best j flax varieties, from which we would choose the best plants that give the | best quality fibre and also show the greatest resistance to yellow leaf dis--1 ease. After selecting such plants we aimed at improving them by breeding. We were anxious to interest the small farmer and induce him to plant a certain amouiit of flax. We could have supplied him with specially selected seed for/ sowing. The people who have taken up the experimental work think that the industry could only be placed on a really prosperous footing by improving and increasing the quantity of raw material. What our future policy will be Avith regard to experimental work, 'in vliew d£ tihe Government's offer, I. cannot say, but we shall consider the whole question at a meeting this week."