PULLING LINEN FLAX BY HAND

Southland Times, Issue 24758, 1 June 1942, Page 3

PULLING LINEN FLAX BY HAND

CROPS SAVED WORTH £1330 The pulling by hand of linen flax crops which had become lodged and could not be pulled by a machine has been completed in the Gore district. More than 65 acres were pulled by volunteers and the flax secured totalled 201 tons 18 cwt., an average of just over three tons an acre. The average value of the flax was £6/16/6 a ton, or £2O/9/6 an acre. The approximate value of the crops pulled by hand was, therefore, £1330/17/6. . The crops were pulled on the b as *s of a charge of £l/10/- an acre, which was what would have been charged by the Department of Agriculture to the grower. It was estimated that the £l/10/- would cover the cost of transporting the volunteers to the crops and also provide sugar and t ea - This proved to be the case. A splendid return was secured from one crop, owned by Bowmar Bros., who, after taking bare expenses out of the return for their crop handed the crop over to the pullers. The total amount secured by the pullers was £283/6/1 and the expenses totalled £66/8/11, leaving a balance of £216/17/2.

It has been decided by the organizers that the balance should be disposed of as follows: The sum of £3/3/- to the Gore High School for special prizes, and £l/1/- each to the Pukerau and Knapdale schools for special prizes. Splendid work was done by . the pupils of these three schools in assisting with the pulling of the crops. The balance of £2ll/12/2 will be paid to the patriotic fund.