DESTRUCTION OF LARGE QUANITIES OF FLAX LEAVES, BY FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1188, 4 September 1867, Page 5

DESTRUCTION OF LARGE QUANITIES OF FLAX LEAVES, BY FIRE.

To tho Sditor of the New Zealand Hehald,

Sifi,—A few days back, two members of No. 1 Company of flax drossers took a boat, and went prospecting for a good flax field. They found what ought to have been a very good spot for six or seven companies to squat down upon, and have a sufficient supply of raw flax to find them employment for six or seven months, at flax hackling. But, imagine their grief and disappointment, when they discovered that some person through wanton mischief, or ignorance, or to enjoy the gratification of witnessing a good blaze, had set fire to it, and completely destroyed large bushes, extending for moro than a mile. The tops of the leaves ■were scorched,and rendered useless as a raw material for flax hacklers. As far as these men could understand, the proprietor ofthe land was not awaire of its being so shamefully treated, and decidedly against his,desire or authority! If a land owner wished to have his land cleared of the flax, for the purpose of cultivating it for growing something to feed man or beast, lie has a right to do so without being questioned by any one." If the land was wanted to bo broken up by either the spade or the plough no one would have the presumption to complain. But when the proprietor'does not require the land for such purposes, and also when he gives permission to' the unemployed to : come and squat down upon it and commence hackling flax, and -some malicious, person without his knowledge or consent sets fire to it, the matter comes before us in quite a different aspect. In addition to a very long range of splendid flax of some hundred tons which has been- rendered useless by fire till it grows again there are also large patches to the nghtand left ofit, which have shared the same fate. Somebody has set fire to the ti-tree, and the fire has reached the flax, and both have beenconsumed, which would have been very acceptable to numbers of the unemployed at this time. The ti-tree would have been of great service for cooking and heating water. Now, as this is a very valuable plant, as an article to supply labour, as well as an article to increase our export and lesson our import trade, it deserves protection against the ignorant and wanton destroyer. I therefore appeal to you, Mr. Editor, and your able correspondents, and* all good men in every capacity, to assist in putting a stop to a system of spoliation that has been carried on more or less in all directions for years past. Such dog-in-the-manger conduct injures many without doing anyone good. I am pleased at being able to report for the information of our Society, that Mr. Francis White has given permission for the men to go and squat upon his land, situate in the "Waitakarei district, consisting of 600 acres ; and he says of almost as many acres of flax. This is certainly a very good gift, inasmuch as the block can be approached by land carriage. How very grievous it would be on the other hand, if they arrived there and found that it had also been destroyed by fire, without the authority of the proprietor, Mr. White.—l am, &c., Wxlliax GBIFFIN, Honorary Secretary for the Elax-dressers' Society. South-street, Newton, September 2,1867.