THE FUTURE OF FLAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 12

THE FUTURE OF FLAX.

MORE INQUIRY NEEDED. A CAUTIOUS MINISTER. SOME PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. [by telegraph.— special reporter.] WELLINGTON. Thursday, Over-sanguine hopes for flax growing on thei Hauraki Plains are discouraged by the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLcod. In the course of discussion in the House of Representatives to-day he suo-(-ested that more investigation was needed before lands were thrown open in large areas for flax culture. He indicated that he was inclined to regard the interests of the settler before those of flax farming companies. Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) urged that something be done to hasten the opening up of the 30,000 acres of unoccupied land on the plains that was suitable for flax growing. Mr. A. M. Samuel (Ohinemuri) said flax growing might be a solution of the problem of abandoned holdings, of which there were a number. The Minister said he believed that fi;>had a good future before it, especially on the Hauraki Plains and other similar areas. He had endeavoured to meet the wishes of inquirers after flax lands. How- j ever, as usual in new fields of enterprise, 1 there were always to be found company promoters anxious to float schemes before full investigation had been made. He was watching the operations of the companies closely, for he wanted the man on the land, not the distant investor, to benefit from this industry. He needed evidence from further inq-' • in order to be sure that he could offer the intending settlor something of real value. It should' be remembered that one system of draining was required for farming and qnito another for flax growing. The latter system was much less thorough. His department advised him that while certain areas might be apparently suitable for flax growing to-day further drainage, especially of areas higher up the plain, might make them too dry for that purpose. If people were encouraged to plant flax on such land they might say later that the department had spoiled their' properties. He was aware that 20,000 acres of the plains were covered with a 30ft. layer of peat and were of no use for farming but it was not certain that they would be wholly suitable for flax. There was the grave danger of fire. However,* there was some fine flax on the plains. Up to March 31 last, eight flax leases had been granted, covering 3025 acres and returning an annual revenue of £1302 to the Crown. Various companies were proposing to develop flax growing on the same lines as others were embarking on forestry. The very first thing should be for his department t,o satisfy itself that the industry would not be killed by losses in its early stagesi He did not say that the schemes now proposed would lose money but they might not make any. Mr. Rhodes: Will you open new areas in future ? The Minister said he thought some areas would be opened. Probably some of the Patetonga areas in which the surface of the soil had sunk would be found suitable for flax ; growing. Perhaps as the result ,of t|ie-inquiry about to be held by the pbmmission,, 'the legitimate interests of some oFthe settlers concerned would be bought out. '