FLAX

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 49

FLAX

SOME CASUAL NOTES. Members of the New Zealand Flaxmillers' Association will visit the Weraroa Experimental Farm on the 26th inst. The sum of <£4555 is voted the Fibre Division of the Agricultural Department on this year's Estimates against <£3541 voted last year. The New Zealand Flaxmillers' Association has empowered its executive to meet the request of the Philadelphia Museum authorities, that a flax exhibit —as demonstrating one of the products of the country—should he sent to the museum for exhibition purposes. It is probable that a series of photographs illustrating the industry will accompany samples of the fibre. Speaking of photographs calls to mind that one of the most attractive pictures of the native flax plant is published in Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons' "The World's Commercial Products." In a brief and correct notice of "phorxnium fibre," the work states that the fibre is soft, nearly white in colour, with a silky, lustre, and its breaking

strain is stated to he higher than that of either hemp or flax. The proposal of the Government that fibre ropes should be used in place of tow ropes for the fastening of hemp bales is regarded with strong disfavour by many millers. But in opposing the proposal the fact is being overlooked that trade —so we are informed —are prepared to pay for the hemp ropes, a fact which should remove all objection to the change. When the Flaxniillers’ Association discussed grading at Palmerston the other day the opinion was generally expressed that the Chief Fibre Expert should be a mail thoroughly conversant with the whole of tlie> details of the industry, and also the scientific aspect of the possibilities of the fibre. While it will be agreed that it is desirable the man in control of the grading of a product should know something of the market end of the business, it will be admitted that a State service, such as the grading of flax, is not intended to benefit the middlemen or the men who buy the produce for manufacturing purposes, but has been designed to educate producers, and thus place an important product of the country on the best possible footing. A grader, in the first place, should be an expert in the milling process, and, it is desirable, be possessed of a knowledge of varieties and the proper method of cultivation. For the first essential in grading is that the official should bo able to at once put his finger on a weakness in the preparation of the product, and be able to tell the miller why his fibre has been graded down, and what should be done to prevent a recurrence of the defective work. Grading is an educational movement, and the only grader who will have any real influence in raising the standard of flaxmilling will be the successful mill hand who can give a practical demonstration of the lessons he conveys through the grade points. The members of the association who expressed the opinion that there are men in the service fitted for the position, but who should be sent Home to gain an insight into the requirements of the Home and foreign manufacturers took the correct view. But it cannot bo too strongly impressed umn millers that the grader should primarily' have a sound knowledge of flaxmilling, and that the grading system exists sol My for the object of educating flax producers to turn out a good uniform product. The position in regard to preventing the shipment of condemned fibre —condemned by reason of a good grade being injuriously affected by flooding, etc. — was well put by a miller to the writer the other day. Tn a case which recently came under his notice a miller had a quantity of good, fair fibre in the paddock reduced to a condemned state bv a sudden heavy flood. Knowing that the miller could not ship it, a local rope-maker offered the price of tow for the line, and the miller, being entirely in his hands, the local manufacturer was enabled to practically victimise him. The after history of the condemned fibre was that, mixed with a little better conditioned hemp, it was made into rope, to be probably shipped to Australia to compete against rope which Commonwealth rope-makers manufactured out of fibre they had purchased in this country at full market values. This condemned fibre —a well-milled, sound product in the first place—should, we consider, be branded before exportation as "damaged," while fibre which is part leaf and part an apology for hemp, a produce not half stripped, should not be allowed to leave the country. After the above was written we learned that the Government proposes to allow condemned fibre to be exported, but that power will be given graders to totally condemn any fibre which they consider useless for manufacture. This is a very satisfactory solution of a difficult problem, but we should like to see floodwater and silt-affected fibre branded as "damaged." At the last meeting of the Flaxmillers' Association the opinion was expressed that the association should endeavour to arrange that fibre should be sold on the points. It is gratifying to know that the majority of the members were in agreement with this. There is little doubt that a certain section of the trade, by ignoring points in their dealings with the New Zealand miller, make use of the grading system to their own advantage, thereby victimising the producer and profiting by the State classification in a way never contemplated by the department. The meeting passed the following sensible resolution —proposed by Mr Grey and seconded by Mr A. Seifert :—"That this association is strongly of opinion that if the department for the present finds it impossible to have the maximum number of graders' points shown on the loose tags and eertificates, the present grades should he divided into two or three sections, so that the miller may receive better value for the higher pointed fibre in each grade."