JUTE V. PHORMIUM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4299, 31 December 1874, Page 3

JUTE V. PHORMIUM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — In the London Times of 25th September last I find a report of the meeting of Chambers of Commerce at which Mr. Jacob Behrens gives the following interesting account of the development of the jute trade. He says:—“ That theE. I. Company about the year!B29 found there was fibre that might be useful to English manufacturers, and sent home3G4cwt. of it. It was found to be useful to them, for in 1860 the export rose to 1,000,000 cwt., and in 1872 reached 7,250,000 cwt., valued at four and a quarter millions of money" This result is worthy of further publication, if only to show the contrast with the fate of our unfortunate phormium, which by the aid of stupidity, ignorance, and prejudice combined- has been brought to Its present ignominious position, I cannot help thinking that when falling wool markets and heavy taxation produce a crisis that will be severely felt, we shall have much cause to regret the abandonment of an industry that afforded so much general employment throughout the colony, and would have added so much to the value of its exports. It is a sad reflection upon xis, to say the least of it, that India should have been able to realise great wealth out of the very commonest of fibres, when we, with one indigenous to our soil, as valuable, indeed more valuable, than Manilla hemp, trebly so to this jute, should have permitted it to succumb to the manipulation of crude machinery-machinery that would have been considered unworthy about the time of the Egyptian era, and, with all the obstinacy that generally pertains to ignorance, a persistence in this course, when superior offered, which led to what it deserved—ruin to all concerned. —I am, &c., Charles J. Pownall.