FLAX INDUSTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16175, 11 July 1923, Page 6

FLAX INDUSTRY.

MILLERS' EXPLANATIONS. iPer Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., this day. "There will be no immediate effects on industry as the result of tho abandonment, through lack of funds, of the experimental work which the Flaxmillers' Association is doing- at Miramar in order to combat the yellow leaf,disease in flax, but no doubt the industry will feel the effects in future," remarked Mr. A. Seifert. who was a leading figure in promoting experiments, lb* was interviewed pn the subject of the Government's decision to agree to a subsidy of £ for £ and an additional grading fee of 6d per ton on the flax, tho fund derived being utilised for tho purpose or continuing experiments. "What tho Government lias done," said Mr. Seifert, "is to agree to subsidise us £ for £ up to £290, and although unaware of the reason for limiting it to this sum, we presume the Government took last year's grading quality and based the subsidy on that. It should be remembered, however, that last year the market was in a vory depressed condition. What the millers wanted," said Mr. Seifert, was security and the granting of a fixed sum which we were prepared to subsidise by aggregating to (lie increased grading- charge. Our main reason for approaching the Government was to ask for support in the work of selecting (he very best flax varieties from which wo would choose the best, plants that would givo the best quality fibre, and also show the greatest resistance to the yellow leaf disease. After selecting such plants wo aimed at improving them by breeding. We were anxious to interest the small farmer, and induce him to plant a certain amount of flax. We could have supplied him with speciallyselected seed for sowing. The people who have taken up experimental work, think the industry could only be placed on a really prosperous footing by improving and increasing the quantity ot raw material. What our future policy will be with regard to experimental work in view of the Government's offer, I cannot say, but we shall consider the whole question at a meeting this week."