Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1898. Flax.

Manawatu Herald, 1 July 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1898. Flax.

Though only a weed, flax is of wonderful importance to the colony, and we congratulate the promoters of the meeting on Thursday on the successful attempt to secure a combination of the producers so that some of the leakage iq the receipts may be promptly stopped. It is no new idea to form an Association, we had one started three years ago, but it faded away from the inattention of those most interested in its welfare. Experience has shown to millers that separately they fall, and, on. the nonttraryt United they beeoma" i pwiMft ilie toad* f i'hs mm

mention of the likelihood of such an Association being formed brought to the promoters offers from, three large firms to give up any direct dealing in flax in order that they nrighc place their services unreservedly at the disposal 'ot tlte Association. This in iteetf shows what a power flas-mitftos really possess, and all thali the Association needs to make it a supremo success is wise management. Millers have beett asked to join it for mutual feeiiefife> all of which was shown M keeping themselves away JEVWa competing with one anote, and for appointing a channel &bove suspicion by which all sales should be effected, and by using the leverage of a compact body to secure concessions in freights and all other charges. If this programme is adhered to there cannot be a doubt but that sooner or later | every miller will become a member, and we trust, for the success of the Association, that this will be their determination, and that no illusory ideas of profit making, by becoming universal providers to the millers, will be allowed to creep in. We refer to our report of the meeting appearing elsewhere and recommend the attention of absettt millers to the aims set forth As being hopeful of accomplishment, The flax trade has been fortunate in having secured a permanent footing, but it is melancholy to think oi how much money has been lost to the miller and also to the colony by the very unbusinesslike character of the past methods of disposing of the manufactured article and the want of care in ascertaining the prices ruling in the buying markets. On Thursday, millers recounted how peculiarly badly informed the merchants must have been when they purchased from the millers at presumably the highest prices current, and such a very short time elapsed, after the contracts had been made, when news arrived of surprising rises in values. To obviate these unfortunate mistakes the Millers' Association propose to get cablegrams periodically from the best markets through their own agency. We have, during the time the last Association was in existence, pointed out the advisability of this step, and are now glad to hear it made a distinct plank in the new order, though we much regret the loss that has been incurred which has forced this step upon the millers. It is never too late to mend, and it is well that an attempt is being made to provide against a recurrence of what one is bound to believe need never have occurred had not a too great reliance been placed where it was not wise to place it. The returns about flax are very surprising, as we find from the Statistics complied by the Registrar General that the exports of flax for the year 1892 amounted to 12,793 tons of a value of £214,542. Of this quantity 5,078 tons went to the United Kingdom and 6,676 tons to the United States, the remainder of the quantity going to Victoria and New South Wales, and a few tons to other places. The principle shipping port is Wellington, as from there 7,249 tons were sent away, 4,422 tons being transhipments and 2852 tons being from shore aud rail. These transhipments would include all flax shipped at Foxton, Wanganui, aud other ports, as well as from the South Island and the East Coast. If 2852 tons were received at Wellington by - rail and shore, we can claim to have sent close on 4000 tons from Foxton, so that what ; we called transhipments are mostly from the provincial district of Wellington. Therefore as Wellington exports almost three times the quantity that Auckland does, which is the next largest handler of flax, it shows how important any movement becomes amongst millers in this district, as we can fairly claim a larger nucleus of millers in this district than can be claimed in any other. | Auckland exported 2653 tons, Wairau' 1287 tons, Lyttleton 815 tons, New Plymouth, 457 tons, Dunedin 22 tons, Invercargill 2 tons, Nelson 50 tons, Napier 212 tons, Wanganui 27 tons, and Russell 1 ton. We have shown that roughly speaking, half of the flax went to England and half to America, in 1892; but the bulk of the English flax went in the early part of the year, as in the last quarter of that year out of 12.349 bales shipped at Wellington 9944 bales went to Boston and New York. For the first. quarter of the present yesir, ■'. j1,983 bales were shipped at Wellington, and 1418 went to London and 10,224 to America. From a return given by the Harbour Board these particulars are extracted and it further shows that for April and May last past 7219 bales were shipped 5044 going to America, only 528 to London, and 1652 bales to other ports. This should show conclusively that the value of hemp on the London market is of very little concern to the miller, but yet, oddly enough, no other quotation is ever published to enable him to estimate ; the value of his production. Up to now the miller has been working with his head in a bag and it appears a wonderful thing that it should be necessary to urge him to take it off. The Association is bound to be a success if wisely and moderately managed, .but a heavy responsibility K8?«8 on feh« Bhealto of the Baseu* tin Qmmlttm