THE NEW ZEALAND FIAX TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2288, 6 January 1898, Page 7

THE NEW ZEALAND FIAX TRADE.

MR JOHN HOLMES'S EXPERIENCES. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

London, November 5,

Mr John Holmes, the commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government to investigate various raaltets connected with the ITaw Zealand produce trsde, especially that of flax, and to suggest measures for its improvement based upon his own researches, arrived in Jjondon a few days ago from New Zealand, via Australia and South Africa.

I had a long conversation with Hr Hi.lme3 this morning, doring which he went very fuliy into his experiences so far. Of course he has cot jet been long enough in England to have been able to do more than pava the w*>y for the «xfcution of his mission, but already he has tesn Lard -at work even during the short tim.3 that has elapsed since his arrival, and if anything ran -ke d-->ne to improve the prospects Sof New Zealand flax Mr Holnr,e3 is assursdJythe man tj do it. He speaks with warm appreciation of the great courtesy and cordiality shown to him in all the British colonies which he has yet vieited. Although- naturally Mr Holmes i* &t present cautious about expressing any definite opinion as to the results of his enterprise, he does not hesitate to say th«.t he baa y.lctady sesn enough to convince him that there is a great, future before 2?ew Zealand fhx, as well as olh-sr colonial pro<rucfce, if only Ihe matter is faced in an intelligent and liberal spirit. The present trade, he «ays, can be improved and largely extended if the matter is gone about in the right way, and there is eTery probability of new outlets being opened up in variou3 dirtcbions, provided the requisite facilities are furnished, and provided also that the producers will lay themselves out to suit the vitws of the consumers and adopt fresh or amended methods in all eases where these are found to be requisite.

Perhaps I may be allowed to remark here that Me Holtae3 is evidently pass'ng through the same experience A3 I did mjsslf when I set about investigating the ci cumstances and drawbacks of the New Zsaknd trade in frcz-m meat, dairy produce, fruit, and timber. My readers may remember— for I conveyed my results very candidly — that I was met on all bauds with certain complaints about New Zealand produce. As a rule, the fault complained of was not inferior quality, although undoubtedly ia a few instances there were certain grumblings ou this head. No ; whafc people in the trade or j^cte.d lo was the general lack of uniformity in quality. A shipment might be of good quality, bub ytt beiog varied and not nniform ib was of less value in the London mrket thsn it would have b^en Lad uniformity prevailed. The persistent cry on all sides was, "We must have uniformity ,in the shipments, otherwise we never know what .we are bujiog ia advance or selling •to arrive.' " You may, perhaps, remember a shipment of apples which said for a mere song because, although the fruit was excellent, apples of all sorts and sizes and varieties wereheaptd together higgledy-piggl dy, so that the shipment could nob be classified under any lues kuown to the London market, and accordingly was bought at a small price as a mere mixert iob lot.

Well, this drawback wa3 almost the first thiog brought under Mr Hrlases's notice in connection ■witk New Zealand fhx. The hanks were cf all sorts of different lengths ; there was no even lt-.vel of quality ; the bal-s were of various s'zes. And so when Mr Holmes iDquiivd what was needed to secure a better demand and a better price for New Zealand flix, the first answer he received — aye, and the second and third too — was " Uniformity, uniformity, uniformity!" In this rtspect it would appear that the New Z aland producer stands to his foreign — I use the word in the cense cf outside — consumer in much the tame position as doea the British manufacturer to his colonial customer. The difficulty is in each case to get the producer or manufacturer thoroughly to understand tha 1 ; if he tyants to do good trade he muat suit his customers' ta3'e rather than his own. New Zealanders refuse to be convinced that what the British manufacturer wishes to send them Ate necessarily the things that are best for them, for in most cases they know the reverse to ba ihe case, and in like manner customers, whether in Australia, South Africa, or Great Britain, ■who purchase New Z' aland meat or dairy produce or timber or flax simply insist upon Laving the article supplied iv the shape they ■want it, and will not take it, or at any rate ■will ©nly take it at a greatly depreciated value, unless this eoudition be fully complied with. Mr Freyberg wag attacked, in my opinion most unfairly, because hs arivked that New Zealand timber Bhould only be senb Home cub in a parfcicular way and to certain size*. I did not hesitate to maintain at the time, supported by (he highest Snglish expert authorities, that in jrJbtit he said then ho ihub eerfectly right.

Sub^eqaent experience ha 3 abundantly corroborated this ; in some instances at the cost of heavy loss to those who persisted in disregarding gcol advice and in shipping produce not in accordance with that counsel.

And to the first point at which Mr Holmes has arrived is virtually the same— namely, that New Z-aland's customers must have their ta3tes considered if New Zealand .is to do bu&iness with them. I have no doubb that Mr Holmes in bis report will bit this nail on the fce^d very hard indeed, and will drive it home wi h rll that exceptional force of demonstration which he possesses.

He is convinced that a large trade may be done with the Australian colonies, where New Zealand flax is extensively used for ropemaking, and still more largely for binder twine. Then, as eliewhare, it will be maitily a case of suiMng the dems-nds of th/ 5 consumers. But ia South Africa Mr Holme 3 foucd what he believe*, and apparently with good reason, to bs a splendid opening for this trad?. At the present time South African farmers ara paying no less than £46 per ton for binder twine to be used in their reapers and bicders. " Why," exdaimed Mr Holmes to his informant when this was told to hiof , •• we can supply you with New Zealand fl'.x already manufactured and f.o b. at £20 p*T ton less— at £26 per ton, — and do well by it." This statement appeared to be received with some degree of incredulity, and Mr Holmes found that as a rule people seemed to hare no idea whatever that New Zealand produced any fibre at all — assuredly no one appeared to be aware until he informed th^m that it was the oldest of New Zealand exports, having been exported from the colony as long ago as the yeir 1809, when dressed by the Maoris.

Naturally the question has already suggested itself lo the conicaissioner how, in the event of a trade being established bitween New Zealand and South Africa in fhx and other produce, the sh'pments could bs conveyed. He expresses a stroug conviction that the enterprising Uoion Steam Ship Company of New Zealand would not be found wanting if the necessity should arise, but would readily lay on steaosers for the Cipe At present any produce sent from New Zealand to the Cape would have to bs transhipped at an Australian port, and taken forward either by the Blue Anclor steamers or by the Aberdeen line.

Since his arrival iv London Mo Holmes baa already seen siveral leacing firms of ropemakers and other manufacturers engaged in trades which require foreign fibres ; but necessarily, bowsver, the time has b:ea too short for any dtfioite outcome to have bsen attained as ytt. Bub he is very sanguine as to the ultimate iTSult of his endeavourj. He is making speci.-l efforts to ascertain with the greatest possible precision what are the actual requirements of the manufacturers-; and in this directiou will probably lie some of the principal bene-fifcs derived from his mission, for naturally producers and nisimfacturers cannot fulfil the wishes of their customers until i,hcy hnoiv ti-!.at these wishes are down to tli3 mos«t uiintite details. This information Mr Holmes is setting himsvlf most assiduously ta collect. Iftcio seems to me to be good reason to cn'iaj.&le many advantageous results to the colony from Mr Holmes'a cxeitiong.