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New Zealand Mail, 17 September 1902, Page 68 (Supplement)

Speaking of the outlook of the flaxmilling industry, Mr Mitchell, of Messrs Fildes, Mitchell and Co., on his way to commence milling operations at Kari--riki, remarked to me (says our Palmerston N. special reporter) that there wa3 now every prospect of the industry becoming permanently established. Government grading, he declared, was doing as much for the •flaxmiller as it had done for the butter producer. Buyers at Home had come to recognise the Government standards, and bought on them. This meant that the business was being put on a most satisfactory basis, and that there was now every encouragement for people to make an endeavour to meet future requirements by the systematic growing of the plant. It was conceded, said Mr Mitchell, that New Zealand hemp was of greater value for shop and binder twine than Manila, as it stood a greater tension and was more pliable. As no other country could grow New Zealand flax, the possibilities of the business were enormous. Flaxmilling was an industry which was particularly suited for unskilled labour, which could not obtain employment in other more intricate industries. There was a big field for flax production, as there were largo blocks oif land in the colony quite unsuited for agricultural or pastoral pursuits which, by the expenditure of, say, a pound an acre, could b® drainod sufficiently to enable flax to b® grown thereon to perfection.