COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8265, 26 May 1890, Page 3

COUNTRY NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN correspondents.] : Hamilton, Saturday. Mr. La volet, who represented the Raglan rlaxmillers at yesterday's meeting, hit the nail on the head when he said that what was wanted was not only to put the flax .industry on a profitable but on a permanent basis. Two of the three flaxmills under his management, he said, would have to be abandoned unless some system for the protection of flaxgrowing and for the encouragement of growing flax as a crop, were afforded to agriculturists This is more or less the case throughout the' flax-mill districts. The erection of a flax-mill worth calling such, unless where there are exceptional advantages of water power, is an expensive affair, and too much to be undertaken with the prospect of running it for a year or two. To encourage owners of flaxfields to cut the green flax systematically, so as not to injure the future growth of the plant and to go to the cost of fencing off the young growth from cattle, as well as to induce the planting out of suitable lands with flax cuttings, it must first be shown that the industry is likely to be a permanent one by the profits it will afford to the millowners. and this will therefore be the first and chief work of the Association.- The other with a little encouragement and agitation will follow as a natural sequence. In the speech of Mr. Langley, delivered at the meeting at Raglan, published in the Herald about a fortnight ago, it was clearly pointed out what the duty of the Flax Association wouta be, namely, to classify consignments of flax into their respective orders as suitable for the requirements of different manufacturers _ at Home, such as bags, carpets, binder twine, etc., (different manufacturers using different classes of flax, and to mark each lot with the Association's brand, putting upon it, in fact, a " hall mark " which would be recognised at once by buyers at Home, just as now in tha case of wools. «.'.,'.. , , It is satisfactory to find that the saleyards at Hamilton, the erection of which was opposed by the obstructionist section of the Council have turned out a financial success, as well as bringing trade and business into the town. With so small a fee for their use by the auctioneers as 10 per cent, on sales, they have been returning a rent _of about 7 per cent, on the cost of construction. At a public meeting of the congregation of the Wesleyan Church here it; was resolved to make strenuous efforts to pay off the debt on the church, which had increased from £450 when the church was built to some £423 at the present time. The income each year had decreased, causing the enlargement of the bank over-* draft till it had now reached £73. it was resolved to hold an anniversary tea meeting on the night of the July quarterly meeting,, and a committee of ladies, many of whom promised to provide refreshments, was appointed to carry out the necessary arrangements. It was resolved to form a church club for young people to provide _ suitable amusements in the long winter evenings. Whatawhata, Saturday. In consequence of attention having been drawn to the matter in their columns, a correspondence with the Crown Lands Commissioners has drawn forth a ' communication from the Board that Mr. Frank Edgecumbe will be sent to re-classify the town lands, as was recently done at ]Ngaruawahia, as soon as he has finished certain business now in progross at Pokeno. . - Paterangi, Saturday. • Campbell's Gully bridge is now open for traffic, the repairs having been completed. Another extraordinary vacancy has occurred in the Manjrapiko Road Board. .The polling is to be holden on the ~th proximo,' the nominations to be in by the 30th instant. It would seem that in several local bodies,' this among the number, it requires a considerable amount of coaxing to induce candidates for seats upon them to come forward for election.