THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14144, 20 August 1909, Page 8

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Sir,ln .your article of 9th inst., " Th© Future of Hemp," J. W. Raymond states that royalties shouldv be reduced to at least 3s per ton.' Now, where is the flaxgrower who is going to shut up his land for flaxgrowing purposes at: that- price? If Mr. Raymond's idea of things came to pass it means that the industry is now doomed. I cannot understand him calling ibe flax a waste product. No doubt it would be if the grower could only get 3s royalty, and the industry left entirely in,. the flaxmillers' -> hands. But this is not going to be. The .railway charges, are reasonable to my mind, and' the grading has been a boon to the industry. No doubt the freights Homo are. high, but the flaxmiller himself is to blame for that, through baling up wet fibre. The labour problem,*, of course, is a great difficulty. A good wage to a good man is right; but , the trouble :is to get good ones, for a good man is rarely out of work. lam greatly interested in flax properties, etc.", and, of course, in the future prospects of the industry. I hold that the present low priceii,which ■.'.will be considered tip-top prices later on, are a ; boon in disguise to the industry, for it has set many minds thinking iriito ways and means of improving the present haphazard system of milling. There is. no doubt in my mind that . extra good quality fibre will be delivered at seaports within the next two years at £12 per ton, and out of that amount £1 per ton for the green blade allowed the grower for delivering the flax at mill, that is at present market price for " fair," £17 10s. The stripper ' waste product will also be turned into money, and may eventually . pay all costs of milling and delivering the fibre. There is no hope of our fibre going beyond £20 per ton at port, unless the fibre can bo milled good enouffh for textile purposes. One thing I .would like to mention is that it would be advisable for - the flaxmilWs ;of this province'' to improve the surroundings of their mills, and not give labour any room for complaint. v NOX-BOBBOWEB.

WAIKATO SHOW PRIZES. Sir,— the last day of the Waikato A. and P. Show I won prize in the guessing competition, tying with another for first place. My name and address were given fully on the card, and,some friends of mine who were present when the prize was' announced offered to take it to me. They were informed that it would be posted in due. coursf. Weeks elapsed, and no letter came, so I courteously reminded the secretary by letter that the prize was mine. No reply. A month passed and I.strain wrote, and again no reply. I feel justified' on this occasion, after waiting some eight days for an answer, in asking through your columns if this is a sample of ,'the business methods of the Waikato society. - Prize Winner.