FLAX HACKLE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1189, 5 September 1867, Page 3

FLAX HACKLE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY.

THEusual weekly meeting of the above socieiywa® held, last evening, in the City Mission House, at 7 o'clock: Mr. Osmund Lewis in the chair. The roles of the society, as passed some weeks back, together with those passed at the Mechanics' Institute, on Saturday last, having been read and recorded in the- new minuto book, were read and signed by Mr. O. Lewis, as President of the Co-operative Society. Mr. GtEiffiit read the report, which, w© fublished yesterday,, on the proceedings of the 'lax Hackle Benevolent Society, and exhibited four samples of flax, which had been prepared by company No. 3, in their new operations on the steaming process. Irvin produced a sample of flajc which had been prepared with a five shilling hackle,' and told tlie meeting that if the flax produced . would bring £18 per ton in Auckland, he would be able to earn at the rate of 6s per day at dressingit. Mr. Irvin replied to a number of questions after the hackle had been taken roundthe room for the inspection of all present. The nature of. ' his replies seemed to give general. satisfaction. He spoke favourably of the specimens of the ' flax which had been hackled that morning on. the new steaming principle. After a ' few complimentary remarks from the Chairman on ~ the information afforded to the meeting by Mr.' , Irwin, from Onehunga, a vote of thanks was " carried by acclamation for Mr. Irwin's kindness in. attending that meeting, and contributing his share to the general stock of information that was daily being elicited on the flax question. Though Mr. Irvin pursued the boiling system, he thought that the steaming "was equally as good. Mr. Griffin called upon members .of -No. 1, No. 2, .No. 3, and No. 4 companies, to express their : opinions to that meeting relative to the new steaming process/- aha whether they were satisfied with it or not? They all expressed themselves in l terms of confidence in the 1 system, and quite,willing to'go out to the fields and it a,trial. Messrs. Masow, Lewis, and Cotjpl and-urged the propriety of obtaining a good market for the flax after the men had prepared it—-that there ■should be nothing of the nature of the truck; system, but that the men should demand;cash. ?.

The Chairman also gave tlie men. soma excellent advice in reference-to their conduct' when they arrived at the flax'fields ; ■ that- the eyes of the public were upon them, and i£ ; they stuck together and worked well, with a full determination to succeed, they would be the', pioneers of a'movement which would," to; all. 1 appearance, be a great benefit, to the province: at large. The arrangements for sendingNo. 1 and No. 2 company, would be completed in a short time, and that no time would be lost by the sub-committee to get the other companies, No. 3 and No. 4 to follow them.

Mr. Coufland strongly urged the leading men of every company to enforce the production." : of - a good article, and not allow bad work to ■ pass, to be mixed up and deteriorate the work of i those who were desirous of producing & creditable preparation for the majket. Mr. Speagg- made a 'number of practical remarks in explanation of the steaming and the. boiling process, giving good sound reasons why he preferred steaming to boiling, and reminded the chairman and the meeting that he thought that they were .entitled to find him a good flax* : held, and wanted to know if he went and commenced operations in a certain locality fie would do so with the approbation of the Co-operative • Society. The Chaieman replied that until ho received a communication from the Government lie was not in a position to answer that question, but he was in favour of the fields being thrown open to everv one.

After a number of questions on a variety of points in connection with flax-dressing, &c., the names of the parsons to form new companies up .to No. 12 were taken down.

The meeting adjourned till Wednesday evening, at 7 o'clock, in the same place.