HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 104, 1 April 1926, Page 9

HEMP INDUSTRY.

COST OF PRODUCTION

MILLING IN EAST INCREASING

A lengthy report on the flax industry in Ceylon, India, Java, and the Straits settlements, us he had found it on his recent trip to the East, was presented by the chairman, Mr A. Seifert, to tile meeting of the New Zealand Elaxmillors’ Association yesterday. Air Seifert also touched on the methods of cutting, yellow loaf disease and the position of the industry in New Zealand.

Referring to hemp prices, Air Seifert stated that, although the markot to-day ranged about £3O 10s per ton for high fair, this was not equal to the average pre-war price taken over a period of about ten years, when the average cost of production to-day was taken into account. The average rato for wages just before the war started had been 9s 4d, while to-day it was 14s 4d; so that the percentage of increase was greater than the increase in the valuo of the hemp. Then, again, taxation, railway chargds and various other matters hud increased over 100 per cent; so, altogether, the flaxmilling industry was in a worse position to-day than it was before the war. Home time ago it had been stated that tho stocks of hemp throughout tho world wore so low that a considerable increase in price would shortly take place. That had not eventuated, and, instead, tho production of sisal in the Yusatan, Sumatra and East Africa was increasing. Ho did not wish to be pessimistic! about the future, but ! there was no disguising tho fact that j millers had to be very watchful and ! keep down tho cost of production to the lowest possible point and at the same time dress the quality of hemp that would suit the trade. Informal discussion ensued on the presentation of the report, the chairman answering a number of questions relative to matters /flaised therein.

Replying to one question the chairman stated that to-day New Zealand had a greater foreign competition and, as a result, had to better the quality of its hemp Twenty years ago there was not tho competition there was to-day from East Africa and Java. Mr P. AV. Clinkard said that, undoubtedly, Now Zealand millers would have to pay more attention to cleaning; otherwise their market would become limited.