Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1889. WHAT IS WANTED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 281, 10 September 1889, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1889. WHAT IS WANTED.

. ♦ By the courtesy of Mr John R Russell our readers were placed in possession of much useful information that naturally has cost him some expense to obtain. If our hemp-millers believe the information useful, is it not another argument in support; of the oft repeated sugges*ion for the formation of some sort of association to watch over the welfare of the industry, and to lighten the cost by a general contribution ? One remark of Mr Russell's seems to accentuate our proposition, as he writes that he " was struck by the strong anti-Wellington feeling shown by those interested in the trade " at Auckland. Is it to be wondered at, when it is remembered the effect of all the scamping done around Wellington, in the preparation of the fibre, has seriously damaged the good name of the whole of the output of the colony? All aiound Wellington the millers embarked their m ney in, as they supposed, a venture, and rushed at the business of flax dressing after the style of a rush at the gold fie da, and i i their excitement und eagerness to become rich, troubled not at all at the quality, but only afc the quantity of the article they could jroduce. Because they knew but little of the dressing needed to sui the buyers in the old wor d, they, imitating the ostrich, who, when frightened, believes it has hid himself when he I has buried his head where he cann it see, so th y made up bales of some i size and shape, declared it to be dressed flax, and then calculat d that when it arrived in London it would realise the highet market price. The nonsense of this method of conducting business has been shown very clearly by the prices realised for the rubbish prepared, ar.d very fortunate it is hat the warning has been received so quickly as it has. We now find that the Aucklanders go about the dressing in a very different spirit, and look upon the business as an established trade, at which a remunerative living, though not an immediate fortune, can be made. We learn, from whnt Mr Russoll has written, that tiiere is no rush to put through so ma ty tons a day, but the whole practise is to do the work in a slower, otendiev and more calm manner. Moro care is taken in stripping nnd washing, the hanks being left in clear running water for an hour or two, and this «ne operation is a splendid illustration oi the difference of treatment in 1 tht two diitriots. Then more care U

paid to the scutching and more to the baling. Mr Russell's communica- l tioa proves how va liable it is to \ hemp mil era to know what is being i done in other places, and how pro- | fitab c an expenditure can be made in securing a report from one interstou. in the trade. We hold that this one visit, instead of being '; looked upon as the accomplishment ' of n' i '•L.ut is w anted, merely forcibly ] ilu . j/utts how necessary it is for f urthor enquiries to be made in other districts and pjtacos.