GROWING OF LINEN FLAX

Southland Times, Issue 24757, 30 May 1942, Page 4

GROWING OF LINEN FLAX

IMPORTANCE STRESSED The opinion that the growing of linen flax was of vital importance and that everything possible should be done to get the farmers to continue growing linen flax crops this year was expressed by Mr E. A. Cameron at the annual meeting of the Gore sub-executive of the Fanners’ Union yesterday during a discussion about the appointment of three growers of flax to the advisory committee in the Gore district. Mr Cameron said that the industry was a new one and that there was a need for greater co-operation between the farmers and the department. The biggest drawback was the total rejection of a crop. It was necessary that farmers had some guarantee fcr crops that were not accepted. In Southland the main difficulty was the weather, but the flax was needed, and Mr Cameron appealed to those present to do what they could to keep the mill supplied. The idea of the committees was to have the farming viewpoint represented to the department at all times and to obtain greater co-operation. In giving a review of the results of the last season’s crops in the Gore district Mr W. Faithful, of the Department of Agriculture, said that of the 882 acres grown only 60 acres were a failure. The average yields were about three tons to the acre and the average price was about £7 a ton. Messrs S. C. Bowmar, Henry Smith and R. L. Reid were elected to the advisory committee. The following office-bearers were elected:—President, Mr Henry Smith; vice-president, Mr J. Cowie; committee, Messrs D. Dickie, A. R. Johnston and A. Herron; delegates to the provincial conference, Messrs J. Cowie and J. Stewart A remit, for presentation to uie provincial conference, about the prices paid for dairy produce was introduced by Mr J. Johnston. The remit, which was adopted, was as follows: “In the opinion of this executive greater consideration should have been given to the increased costs before arriving at a definite decision. In view of the foregoing, and also in view of the fact that the increased price of 15 per cent, for wool is being passed on to the grower, to whom it rightly belongs, this executive can see no reason why the dairy farmers should not receive similar treatment, and urges the New Zealand Government to reconsider its decision.”