THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16744, 28 December 1914, Page 6

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

New Zealand's hemp industry, which has fallen upon unprofitable days, is the subject of an article in the current number of the "Journal of Agriculture," by Mr W. H. Ferris, the Government's flaxmilling expert. "At the present time/' Mr Ferris says, " tho production of phormium fibre represents the most intensive farming in the country, and yet, properly speaking, it is not intensive at all." Practically the only expenditure necessary to maintain the phormium crop in good condition is about £1 per acre a year, divided between clearing rubbish from about the flax bushes and keeping the swamp drains in order. The industry of milling phormium tenax, it is rather surprising to learn, supports more labour per acre than any other crop produced' in New Zealand. There are' 182 flaxmills, supporting—when all are working—3276 men, and the wages of these in the twelve months would represent over £400,000. Tho area of land carrying the native fibre plant at the present time, according to the official' figures quoted by Mr Ferris, is about 65,130 acres, valued at £1,332,500. The area given, however, seems an underestimate; tho actual acreage of the Dominion covered with flax is probably much largor. The figures no doubt refer to the flax areas already worked or controlled by the various millors. Mr Ferris remarks: " Though the European crisis has interfered somewhat seriously with the phormium hemp trade, the business of milling is now conducted on such an improved basis, by reason of the introduction of more up-to-date and laboursaving machinery, that the cost of production has been reduced to a minimum, thereby enabling the milling of phormium fibre to be carried on on market returns which at ono time would have spelt ruination." Present prices, he notes, however, make it impossible for some millers to continue operations. "It is only those enjoying very favourable conditions, as to leaf supply, who can afford to operate their mills, and then they have to be satisfied with littlo or no profit." It is a pity that more is not done to devolop new uses for the flax fibre. Binder twine is its chief use in foreign parts, but in most rope manufactures Manila fibre is preferred. Flax should make excellent paper; in fact, the Japanese have manufactured a good paper from it, just as they have found it capable of being made into imitation silk. At present the great, drawback to its more general use is tho mucilaginous substance in the butt of tho leaf, and no workable method of getting entirely rid of this has yet been devised.