THE HEMP TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 11

THE HEMP TRADE.

The complaint from Canada with reference to the manner in which the grading of hemp for export in this colony is

carried out comes to us in the nature of

a rather disagreeable surprise. Its burden is that the Government inspee-

tion of the product is unreliable, and

that the graders are not careful to see that the standard ot quality of the various grades is maintained. This is the first hint we have heard of any-

thing of this kind.

The Produce Com-

missioner in Great Britain, where the bulk of the hemp goes that is exported

from tae colony, stated in his report for 1903 that the plan of grading that had been introduced had met with approval, and while buyers, he said, did not yet xely upon the graders' certificates to the same extent as they did _in the case

of dairy produce, the system had, gener-

ally speaking, proved very satisfactory. .And later reports from the United King-

dom confirmed the favourable view that

was thus taken of the results of the institution of Ihe system of grading, for, objection having been raised to the grades to which the officials in the colony had assigned hemp handled by them, the fibre had been submitted to arbitration in London and " in nearly every instance," the chief fibre expert writes in his report for 1904, " the awards were

in favour of our graders." Nor, though

a question that was asked in the House -of Representatives last session as to the truth of a rumour that the Government was losing the services of some of its best flax-graders, because of the miserable salaries they were offered, might perhaps have justified a fear that the work of grading was now being performed by inferior men, and that the standard was in consequence not being maintained, does the experience of the colonial snippers support the suggestion

that the grading is less stringent than in _the past. tOn the contrary, flax-

millers clai*ii that they have a grievance in that, as they allege, the officials have become unnecessarily exacting in their demands as to quality. Hemp that would formerly have been passed as "good fair" is, it is complained, now graded as " fair only, with the result that, the New Zealand Trade Review says in its February issue, merchants are, on the one hand, unable to fulfil orders for " good fair " and millers are,

on the other hand, compelled to accept

a lower price for fibre which would under previous conditions have been passed as " good fair." This allegation and the direct assertion that the average hemp now received in Canada from this colony is " much poorer than heretofore" do not admit of reconciliation. The fact, however, that a complaint respecting quality has been

received — even though

we may be

tempted to suppose that, there is not very much real ground for it — emphasises the necessity for the maintenance

of a careful system of grading.

Govermnent has in the past made a "profit upon the grading of flax — from the introduction of the practice to the 30th September last the total cost to the colony was £3809, but the receipts in connection with the system totalled £44.66, — and, if it is necessary to increase salaries in order to retain the services 'of thoroughly qualified graders, the jimister in charge should have no hesitation in these circumstances in authorising the payment of the desired increments. The value of the hemp

export trade has gradually increased

from £21,040 in 1895 to £710,281 last year, and it would be a grave pity, now that the business has assumed such im-

portant dimensions, if any effort were neglected which may have the effect of conserving and extending it.