NEW ZEALAND ROPE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2057, 25 July 1867, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND ROPE.

TO, THE EDITOR 0! THE LTTTBLTOM TIMES. Siß,-In reply to Mr Urquhart MacpherBon's notes on the produce of the work in which we are engaged—of converting the fibre of New Zealand flax into rope—permit us to make a few comments and mention a few facts.. In the first place, we cannot imagine it possible that he could feel "much gratified," or anything but much mortified at finding his importations of Manilla rope suddenly checked by the appearance in the market of an excellent rope of Canterbury manufacture. The often-repeated objection to New Zealand rope in general-that it is subject to rot—holdß good against the samples brought hitherto into this market from the North, which contain a very large per-centage (in some instances nearly 50 per cent.) of vegetation j but the fibre which we prepare (by Purchas and Ninnis's patent process) is so clean that the percentage of vegetable matter is very small, practically of no and probably not more, than on examination, is to be found in many samples of Europe and Manilla rope. If the process of cleaning our fibre were a little further extended, it would at once becomean article too valuable to convert into rope. It would be in the condition, so much desired by manufacturers in England, for converting'into fabrics. It is our intention to supply the market with both of these qualities. The extraordinary statement in Mr Macpherson's letter that Manilla rope is thirty per cent stronger than New Zealand rope, is quite new to us, and is contrary to experience. In one case within our knowledge, a 2J inch New Zealand rope broke a 3 inch Manilla rope ( and again, in another instance, a 1} inch New Zealand rope broke a 2 inch Manilla rope. The tests carried out in England by the Government authorities, gave results highly in favour of New Zealand flax, but we cannot at present lay our hands on the tables to quote from. , In order to show the estimation in which our fibre is held by the rope manufacturers in Sydney, Melbourne, and Geelong (as well as In England), we have a proposition made by one of. the largest of. them, to supply certain ropemakers therein mentioned with our fibre in large quantities.., The question with us was, whether it would be better to send the fibre to them, to be converted into rope, and re-shipped to this market, or to keep a certain amount of employment and cash in Canterbury, by.converting a portion of our fibre into, rope on the; spot, ; ;,We decided on. the latter cpurße,:arid,trußt:.and ; believe from the

general of approval wliicli' iwe .everywhere'-meet with, that (the (public will euppdrtiuiixioiir enterprise^ Thatyou niay have( : ample bpportunity.tp, ;we liijyp pleasure in forwarding you some coils; of rope; and small', goods (for: inspection; audsliilMibJiiippy for liiiii,;'nii<l. nil who' feel' intcreiiti'diii -the -question, to lookih at the ■Kojip; works :at;luiiap6i, or at the office of 'tlib'' City Steam Saw Mills; Ferry road, where pur rope: in various sizes niay be examined - iii ihiilk: ■'■■'; .

We can very well understand why lie, as an importer of rope, feels Hint we are trending oil liia toes; Imt whether or not lie is hypercritical in iiis observations, we ask you to judge. Of two things wo feel assured, first —that if the manufacturers named in his letter Imil our fibre, they would appreciate it more than he appears to; and, secondly, that tlie.more the.pub|io bebome : acquainted, with tlio "weariiiß"; qualitiesof our rope, the better they will like it ; nnd, further, we think the tinio is close at linnd when, to quote his word?, " the importation of the Manilla will be. entirely discontinued." Your obedient servants, JENKINS, JONES & CO.