Flax Grading.

Southland Times, Issue 19774, 26 March 1906, Page 4

Flax Grading.

IMSSATLSI-'ACTION* IN SUUTLILAN l». A meeting of Southland iluxuiillcrs was hold on Saturday afternoon in -Mr T. 11. Watson’s olhtv to discuss several matters connected with the industry, and principally the grading of liluv. I lie meeting was held under the auspices oi lhe Klaxiuillers' Association, which was formed some time ago. There was a good attendance, over which Air il. Seifert presided. The business was hrielly introduced by the chairman. win then called on Mr 1. W. Raymond to mow a resolution. Mr Raymond moved' “ That the Association bring before the -Minister of Agriculture the necessity, < in the interests if (ho tlnxmllling industry, of uv« oiirably eonsh ering lhe following proposals for reform; (1) That th« Repar l men t should ascertain from colonial and foreign buyers the standards of Libre required under I In* various grades; (.-» that two practical instruct ora be appointed : (d) ihai with the object of securing thoroughly expert gratters substanlial salaries he paid, anil Unit each applicant . bt fore being appointed, should haw to pus> a practical examination test ; Mi that tin 1 minimum limit tmlU'ueii the grades he to points; io> that ci minimum sample bale of lib re of each grade be located at each pi rt where grading is done, to be available lor inspection by !h<>se interested in the industry; i <»» that the various grades be

(itif, ytH'd b.ir. Kiir quality, fair, ami cmiiuuod.” In prnj'o.siny Ou* Hint i<.iii Mr Raymond s.iic'j ilsut lu* u not, as a -Villk-r who iVU llu, roiu-

I'GtHiii Id urn aufiiciurv Libre. l»ui as a business man who. during the i»a>L iwo \ furs, had pm t hri»ugh Tom.oih* in Uu(ilu'e iai.siii»*ss. a considerable portion ol liie priulma lieinm- manufactured aL his ou ii nulls. Therefore he did not feel (hut he wa.s presumptuous in tahiim Iho initiative in brineini; forward this resolution- It. was essential, iu his opinion, that millers, and yra'/ei's too. should not be working ii (lie dark as they were at present. There was a want of uniformit> in th>- eradimr tlirouehout the colony, and h.' fell Mioroimhh convijiCed ilj.it [here was a lack of Unowledim lM | tin? jetn of lies.* m authority a> (<• Uio standard of hi.re required by maum’ac* i urers, If the propa-ak >ubmiM-d m the re-.olut ion w*uv i;i\eti eli'ect to millers Would know what wa* exp--ried of them, and would be able to carry Din rucl ion>- At, ihc present time ni-

onnous Minis were lost annually hy tinmillers ainl tin- co*Uni\ nwiim' to tlw hap-ha/-ard system pursued. Me was a’.vuri' that considerable differences existed tiri \vct']i ‘in- grader.- themselwf in dt-ulimj \*i iT li l:hif, Mr did not h-'sifale to say that !i.* eould invite tin* Chief Cruder and three of Ids assistants t., yi adf m’V i*i'it! linns of litm- ip tin* Ulun Mores, and In- would Undertake to say that "li the independent Values the> w () uld \ary iToin dto points. This disclosed u Curtain ima inpet ency which millers should hardly hr suMecteu to, as in man;/ cases it nirani tin* didereno- hetu r r* : ; a loss and a pfold on tlndr yearly undrrt tihin-s. 1 'ea 1 iim if li 1 1 i s own e.x-p'-i’i'.-ncr. Mr Itaymond said that on oim occasim in l had nine halo* yrad.-d at .Vn points, one point under fair yrade. Mr was (old hy thr Chief Cruder Mint tinlot was v.-ry mi.vd. Mr therefore had Mir liar takfi to In \ ♦■rrartrdl. and no r.iefli two Competent halel'S to Sort oUt thr Lihrr. inCm: "tit tin* inferior hanks, which warn placed in onr hair, thr rest oi tin- sinlT h'incr put into riyht hahm 'lhriim* ii..s returned to the UlniT. pud was actually graded at points. tin,* inferior hair heiny graded equally with thr others. Onr of the most pramie.d milirfs in •southland inspected Mn- lim* hrfoiv it was hailrd, and was coniidem that it was w.-l! within fair The treading meant a loss oi irom Ld io Ld on this small paiceh Tin* ynriMl opinion niiioie-fst rni!h*rs was that tin* standard had I .cm raised during tlr past -wo .-ars, and that a hiithn* -jrade of hhrn than that an t iclpa trd hy foifian tnillrrs Mas 1 1 rill L r siiioprd. ruder these ciivumst aliens t.la- millers and rim colony Were, to a inoderat ext.ent . losers. Mr would like to son competent instructors \ j.sitini; the mills and remedying (h-ircts, instead of tin* grader waiting until tin* mannfact m-ed ■ lihre arrived at i)j-* Tduti. to condemn it there, AFr Tyson seconded the resolution. M-’ said that if had lad sona* experience oi erratic eradintr. and In* wo'dd like to see samples of tin* <_rt*adrs kept at the ki-radiim- fjimvs. so that millers cmld Compare their outputs with them. Mr Kdwards supported the motion, and strongly emphasised the necessity for standard samples hrina placed <ui view. ATr AFeKin/ie stated that la* did not id ame the graders so much as tin* careless millers. Tie had always managed to £-f*t e-nod fair. and ha considered _M ut iiny miller who exercised ordinary care should hr aide to do likewise, though in Ids opinion the standard had hem raised

during the past two years. The chairman said that what he objected (o were the ideals ere (tied l.y the Depnrfmenf, lie dill not consider that the Department thoiild dictate to the millers what grades they should supply. 1 he supply should be regulated by the demand. and it was 1 tie height of folic nothe Department to insist nn milters (urning out a " good fide quality v.tn-n many of them only Fad raw mnlerinl capable ~r producing " fair " grade. Mr nioomli.-lil considered that reform was absolutely necessary. He was satisfied I hat (he grading standard had been raised during the past two years. The manufaclurers did n't wa’d the hue ((Unlit;/ of fbre so inneb as strong fd-re cleanly worked. The motion was carried nmnimmslv, and will he forwarded to the Minister. A crmi. if fee was unpointed (o receive applications from various ai-eident insurance companies in Southland for 'he insurance of flax.'intl employes. TIIF IIKMF INDVSTHV. English dealers in New Zealand hemp fpbormlum n-nax) are renewing their attempts to persuade exporters to ship under terms and conditions ” made in England." Hy last mail from Homo (gays the N.Z. Times) New Zealand inert chants have received copies of a suggested contract form, issued by the London Hemp Association, along with a request that they should write or cable their consent. 'there is not likely to be a •' tplock on the wires" caused I'y the rush of people with replies, agreeing t tho proposed conditions- Exporters hn> every reason to bo satisfied with cxislin shipping arrangements, and they are no at all likely to accept proposals tha would place them at the mercy of consignees London. It is emphatically 'in their interest to Continue the method

in vogue of shipping 1.0.fi. in the colony on the Government grading certificate. The suggested new arrangement practically amounts to having the value of the j product assessed by arbitrators in Lon-j don, and it requires even less than the' proverbial " live minutes' talk withj the grader " to show them that the change so suavely proposed by t' lL ‘ London Hemp Association would not bo in lie nature of an improvement. They ,ure aware that, it >he price of their product was determined in London it f would bo fixed less by actual quality and condition than lay Hie state of the market for the time being. Hence m the mutter of shipping arrangements they will let " well alone." The °"'y changes that producers and exporters desire are in Ihe direction of protecting Hie Government certilicate against the d( vices of dishonest traders and of. more fully informing purchasers on this and other points connected with the marketing of the hemp; and there is reason to hope that the C.overnmenl will shortly provide these safeguards by appointing one or more additional Trade Gounrds-