NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 932, 10 January 1890, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

The Agent-General has written to the Government stating that he has had a letter from Governor Sir Ambrose Shea, who expresses himself as highly pleased with the sisal fibre now being grovvn in the Bahamas, samples of which will be forwarded to the New Zealand Government. The Agent-General encloses an extract from a letter from Messrs Robinson, Fleming and 00., who forward three samples of cordage made in America from New Zealand hemp. “ Merchants here,” Sir Francis Dillon Bell goes on, “ are anxious to get regular and authentic information of the actual shipments made of the hemp from New Zealand to (a) England, (b) the United States, and (c) any other country. If you could have this put into a tabulated form and sent to me by each mail, it would be of great value. A large part of the increased importation during the year to this country represents orders for transhipments to America, where the consumption is clearly increasing much beyond what was expected by the trade a few months ago. It is supposed now that 15,000 tons will be exported from New Zealand this year, and the prospect of such a sudden augmentation of estimated supplies, as to which very imperfect details are known here beforehand, makes it very essential that there should be some authentic and regular information available to keep the market steady. ” The extract from Messrs Robinson, Fleming and Co. ’s letter referred to by

the Agent-General, is as follows :—“ The consumption in America is no doubt steadily increasing beyond what we imagined would be the case, especially for cordage purposes (as distinct from twine), but on the other hand the supply will, we think, prove far larger than we expected, or estimated by you in your lastlet'erto us. We think fully 15,000 tons will be exported from New Zealand this year. By post we have the pleasure to send you three samples of New Zealand flax cordage, which we have obtained from America as we promised—viz., lath yarn, 316ths rope, 13-16ths rope. Our friends express regret that they were not able to obtain any sample of twine. We consider the 13-16ths rope as a most successful specimen of cordage, and looks as smooth as the best Manila cordage, but then it has noc equal strength to the latter. ” The Agent-General has also written to the Government of the United States, asking for particulars of an investigation recently made by them into the various fibres used in the States. The New Zealand Government will at once supply him with the information asked for as to the shipments from this Colony.