PHORMIUM FIBRE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 61

PHORMIUM FIBRE.

Til]'. GROWTH OF AN INDUSTRY. - ... OPINIONS OF A HOME EXPERT. (From Our Palmerston Correspondent.) T s one in train or coach whirls past the humble sheds at the corner of flaxfields one is apt to overlook their importance. There is nothing imposing n the appearance of these jerry-built structures, and nothing inspiring in - ho cluster of tents partially sheltered by a clump of bush near by. How is it that men can bury themselves away from the pleasures of town life and busy themselves day in day out at flax-work-ing? It seldom occurs to' us that these men, with their brown-tinted hands, are v be pioneers of a valuable industry, and -hot year by year the results of their v. u k are steadily increasing, until in bn near future it will be recognised that a new and prosperous industry has sprung up. bming the years 1895-1903 there was a ia gor increase in the exportation of tb-.x than of any other New Zealand produce. The total export of the fibre grow from 1806 tons for 1895 to 22,652 '• :ns for 1903 (excluding 2042 tons of tow), valued at £595,684. The system of grading adopted by the Department of Agriculture during recent years is in great degree responsible for the healthy outlook of the industry. Since its adoption, buyers in the Old County have learnt to regard the shipments, which are* constantly arriving, with confidence. whereas in the earlier days, the various lots were treated with a certain amount of distrust, owing to the dis-p-i’iiy in quality between the different shipments. In addition to finding a more ready market, the flaxmillers have I--ooefited by the system, inasmuch as it lias led them to bestow more care on the cultivation and selection of the plants used, and has caused them to exercise more care with regard to stripping and washing, scutching, and the general finish of the article. The main hlea nowadays* is not to dispatch a ship-

ment. hut rather to take precautions that the flax may be passed as “fine,” or at least “good, fair,” for by this means the prices realised will be detei> mined.

Mr J. M. Johnston, who* has just returned from the Old Country, narrated to the meeting of the Flax millers Association yesterday an interesting discussion which he had had with Mr Smiles, the manager of the largest rope and twine manufactory in the United Kingdom at Belfast. That gentleman had expressed himself thoroughly satisfied with the grading system at present in vogue in New Zealand, stating that it was imah tely preferable, from the Home buyers’ point of view, to the old go-as-you-please method. Manufacturers could now purchase New Zealand flax from an open market, resting assured of the quality of the material. The manager had also shown Mr Johnston the process used in working tho coarse Russian hemp, and expressed the opinion that it New Zealand flax were treated in tho same manner it would be more satisfactory than at present. At Mr Johnston’s request a quantity of New Zealand flax was put through the hackling machine, by which the Russian article is treated, an ingenious device used for combing the fibre before it. is put through the spinning machine. Un der- this process the New Zealand hemp acquired a very different apearance, being converted into clean, st-raigh. fibre, while very little loss was occasioned. In response to a remark by Mr Smiles, that it was a pity our flaxmillers could not turn out a white fibre of finer grade than they do at present, Mr Johnston produced some Maori kits which had been treated in the native mode. The manager examined them carefully, and stated that if shipments of that colour and dressing were sent Home, upwards of £4O a ton would be realised, as it would be very suitable for tiie manufacture of fine twine.