FLAXMILLING INDUSTRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 35, 26 September 1911, Page 5

FLAXMILLING INDUSTRY.

ANNUAL MEETING OF MILLERS. . (Per Press Association.) Palmerston N., Scpember 25. The annual meeting of the Now Zealand Flax Millers’ Association cordially approved of the Government bonus )f £12,000 for flax-working inventions. The question of advertising the bonus throughout Australasia, England and America was considered, it being stated that the flax millers of the Dominion would contribute to the cost of this publicity. The matter was finally left to the executive, after a hearty vote >f. thanks had been passed to he Minister for Agriculture. The annual report regretted that shipping companies had not acceded to the request to reduce freights. It was stated that opinion had been universally expressed recently that the grading department had applied greater stringency than heretofore to. the grading of good and fair hemp, with .he result that hemp definitely prepared for good to fair quality just missed the grade. It was suggested that a deputation meet the chief grader on the subject. Later, Mr Ferris, chief grader, addressed the meeting, and said there had been no raising of standards, but they had all been made uniform with the Wellington practise. He condemned the carelessness in preparation, permitting vegetable matter to adhere to fibres and yet expecting to obtain a good fair grade. The class of fibre was useless for binder twine, and was only used for low grade cordage. Ho urged that spacmndic supplies of hemp were suicidal. New Zealand hemp suffered more than any other products' by the failure of. producers to recognise the necessity for regularity of supply. Regarding diseased leaf, Mr Ferris said that good stripping and scutching would counterbalance it somewhat, and permit of its taking good to fair grade.