The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, August 18, 1910. FLAX ROYALTIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 880, 18 August 1910, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, August 18, 1910. FLAX ROYALTIES.

Mr J. R. Stanseu. addressed a meeting of settlers and townspeople at Shannon last Saturday night. Mr Stansell has, by the way, been a settler in the district for many years and is about to transfer his place of abode to Karori. We are informed that Mr Stansell is likely to be a Labour candidate for the Otaki seat at the next election. Perhaps this accounted for his korero on Saturday. What concerns us, however, is Mr Stansell’s remarks in reference to the flaxmilling industry, and by reason of the fact that he is an ex-miller they should be worthy of consideration. It is reported that “Mr Stansell spoke at some length on the hemp industry, saying that it was generally stated that the cost of labour was killing the industry. He had milled flax himself at per ton, and the cry of the flaxmiller was wrong. The trouble was the immense royalties charged by flax laud owners. The speaker said that he knew of three men, flaxmillers, who had been ruined by paying big royalties. Mr Stansell said that a well-known flaxowner had told a flaxmiller that he (the flaxowner) was going to have 12s out of the :6s per ton saved by labour-saving machinery. He then moved that the Government be respectfully requested to hold over the granting of a bonus for improved machinery which had the effect of doing away with labour and thus putting money into the pockets of a few wealthy flaxowners.” Mr Stansell’s motion was not carried. Perhaps Mr Stansell turned out hemp per ton before the advent of the Arbitration Court and at a time when flax was treated as a noxious weed. His figures do not apply to flaxaiilling at present. To-day the flaxmiller is sandwiched between the royalty man and the Arbitration Court. The Government protects the worker against unfair treatment on the part of the miller despite the rise and fall of the market, but it allows the grower of the raw material a free band to play ducks and drakes with the industry at his own sweet will’ Surely the miller has a right to claim the same protection from the Government against the squeezing methods of the owner of the green blade as the worker has against the manufacturer. The miller can discuss industrial matters with the workers and we are pleased to know that there is now a better feeling existing between employer and employee—but the miller has to take off bis hat to the royalty man. The miller can think what he likes about the royalty question so long as he doesn’t do his thinking aloud. The royalty man can demand what he likes for the raw material and the miller must submit or seek some other avenue for his capital. The owner ot flax land is justified in getting a return at least equal to what his patch of earth would produce either lor agricultural or pastoral purposes but when, as Mr Stansell alleges, the royalties become so abnormal as to threaten the existence of an important national industry which gives employment to hundreds of persons, then it is time for the State to take a hand either by acquiring the flax areas or legislating to fix the royalties on an equitable basis iu order that the industry will be protected and that justice be done to all concerned.