FLAX.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 281, 20 September 1889, Page 3

FLAX.

At the animal meeting oi' the Canterbury 1 Chamber of Commerce, Mr Kaye, the President, gave the .following statement* n the liax bnsinesß, pass and fi«Kent :— The efforts of the colonists, sixteen years ago, to establish this industry, having re- ' suited in much serious loss and disappointment, the manufacture was abandoned by all but a few enthusiasts, and shipments fell off to slender proportions ; and, as thn public attention has been much directed to the improvement of this indn> try, a talil« of the. exports since 1872 may be interesting:— . 1«73, (5454 tons, £113,709; 1874/2039 tons. £87,690 ;• 187fl. (539 tons, £H ,742; 187«, 897 tons, £18,2sf>; 1877, |1058 totis, £18,82(5; 1878, (.23 tons, £10,(5(iO; 1870. 445 tons. £7,874; 1880, 894 tons, £l»i.«1.7; 1881, 1307 tons, £2A,285; 1882, 2039 tons. £41,955; 1883. 2013 tons, £.%,7«1 ; 1884, 1624 tons, £24,oOO; 1885, 10(53 lons, £16,316 ; 188(5, 1112 tons, £15,922; 1887, 1595, £25,094 ; 1888, 4379 lons, £76,919. A new impetus was given to this trade by the scarcity of manilla hemp in the European and American markets, and consequent advance in prices. This was quickly followed by large orders received in New Zealand from the United States, for binder-twin* purposes. 'JMm'So have gone on increasing; ho that the exports for the first half of the current year, are larger than any whole year since 1873, viz., 15,025 tons of the value of £132,821, and there is every reason to believe that the, demand will strengthen as the quality becomes better known and appreciated. Since die adoption of twine for binding has become so general, considerable trade has been done.in the colony in the manufacture of fibre into twine, resulting so faronmbly that it seems lutrrUy reasonable to continueto import twine that can. he as well made here.