A New Flax Machine.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 October 1894, Page 4

A New Flax Machine.

The Featherston correspondent of the Wairarapa Standard supplies the following :—On Friday afiernoon “ your own ” visited Mr Burt’s flaxmill, which has been leased by Mr Toogood for a short time to try his improved patentwash and flax-dressing machine. The fibre is subjected to a series of jets of water on revolving rollers, as it comes from the double strippers. Here it is delivered on to a roiling table, and goes to the catcher’s hands ready washed, instead of having to. go the steeping pits, thus affording a considerof labor and teaching. I have noticed the progress of this machine, and have refrained from paying anything, at Mr Toogood’s request, till it was seen how it would act, and, having watched its performance, it must be admitted to be a thorough success, and the patentee is to be congratulated on his invention. It has taken Mr Toogood four and ahalf years to perfect this invention, this being his third machine, improving on each one way or the another, and as he is a practical engineer and has had mills of his own, he has been able to note many a little thing required, so that the present invention seems to be just what is wanted. The mill has been working some four or five days now, and has put fhrongb on an average five to six tons of green every day, and- it .continued to do its work well, showing what a considerable expense there wili be saved in the production of the fibre. Needless to say the present invention has caused Mr Toogood endless expense, but fortunately it looks as though his efforts are to be crowned with success, and I am sure that every one wishes him as much.