THE FLAX MARKET.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 4

THE FLAX MARKET.

WifEHE is tlio flax market? The question is important, becauso of the answer, which is " almost anywhere wo choose to make it." In the United States the consumption of binder twine readies an aggregate of many millions of pounds. Tho flax of New Zealand is moro suitable for this purpose than any other fibre in the world. It can bo placed in that market with profit to tho grower, tho manufacturer, the carrier, tho insurer and tho sale agent, at somo 1:10 per ton. Yet not a single pound gets thero. It is an industry which can employ thousands of men and boys, scatter a reasonably substantial amount of cash among the foundries, and give necessary variety, and therefore increased profit to agriculture. It is in fact a priceless industry, and we aro glad to say it is by no means neglected by the Agricultural Department. There is in tho service of the department a grader. Wo do not know if there are any more anywhoro else, but tho grader lives in Wellington. Formerly of Blenheim, a great flax centre, well known in shipping and mercantile circles, Mr Holmes is tho right man in tho right place. If lie only had any flax to grade, he would do work of tho most successful and most important character. But he has so littlo before him that the world remains ignorant of his services. About tho flax plant, its fibre, its qualities, capacities, habitats and cultivation, tho limit of tho kuowablc has been, wo believe, reached in tho admirable series of papers which havo issued from tho Government press, and now lie in various libraries wasting their knowledgo on the unenterprising air. There is not the slightest reason for adding to their bulk. That might not do any good, and would certainly offend tho writers. But thero is still a direction in which enterprise can bo employed. It is not in the direction of spoon-feeding, otherwis 0 known as the. bonu.3 system so much

favoured by the thoughtless. There would bo no permanent benefit in sending bounty-fed products to rot in foreign markets. What wo want is tho permanent benefit of the industry. The only way to secure that is to find a market for it. If a commission were set up, and perhaps sent out of the Colony, wo feel sure that the old export of flax would be once mora reached and perhaps surpassed. One of the things that killed that old export was the inferior character of somo of the manufacture, in which carelessness and roguery frequently ran a dead-heat for the prize of abomination. With good grading arrangements under tho capable Mr Holmes that part of the old export can never be restored. The rest is within our reach. Wo have only to choose to stretch out our hands.