THE FLAX INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20977, 14 September 1931, Page 14

THE FLAX INDUSTRY

BAY OF PLENTY FACTORY. DEVELOPMENT AT WHAKATANE. An important stage in the development of the flax industry is taking place in the Bay of Plenty, where the freezing works building at Whakatane is being converted to a factory for tho manufacture of fibre into sacks and wool packs. Of about 5000 acres of land on the Rangitaiki Plains, a large portion is already tinder flax cultivation, and the balance is being prepared for planting.

Mr. E. P. Combe, who is interested in the project in the district and recently spent 18 months in England and on the Continent investigating matters in connection with the fibre industry, has samples of material suitable for wool bales and sacks made from New Zealand flax, which, lie says, can be produced at a price that would compete with jute products at the lowest price on record. Jhe amount going out of the Dominion for the products is £1,500,000 annually, while Australia imported £3,500,000 worth of wool packs and sacks. The articles produced from New Zealand (lax are superior in every way to the jute products. As a result of research and experimental work abroad, complete plants have now been designed whereby it will be possible for the green leaf to be converted into fibre and spun and woven into sacking in one day. Only approximately 60 per cent, of material is needed to obtain the same strength of bag and wool pack as is required for the jute article, and the cost of treatment is also about, 60 per cent, below the cost of preparing jute fibre. With regard to the local aspect of the industry, Mr. Combe says that all the fibre will be grown specially for the manufacture of sacks and wool packs, and not for sale as raw material, thus giving permanency to (he industry, and obviating the closing down of the flax areas when the market prices of raw material fall.