THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1952, 5 October 1889, Page 3

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

TEMUKA HEMP MILL 3. \ The importance of the flax industry is acknowledged on every hand, and the payable prices now ruling for dressed fibre have induced all sorts of people to commence operations wherever there is a prospeqt of a sufficient supply of raw material.. It is evident that many of these establishments will have a vefy ephemeral existence, and . lt; is highly probable, indeed it is certain, that the result of their crude experiments will have a deleterious effect upon the flax-trade generally. Want of capital and experience will soon.tell itS'lalej 'and in spits of favorable markets it is not hard to predict that many flax mills will soon bis closed. The Temuka‘!!jFlax works must

be classed in quite another order. The genllemsn who now own the property formerly held by the Temuka Linseed Company early saw the advantages of - turning their attention to the dressing of native flax, and, determined to utilise their works for the purpose of carrying /out the industry in a thoroughly business--like fashion. The general management of the concern devolved upon Mr William Postlethwaite, one of the early promoters and the largest shareholder in .tho Linseed Company, while the arrangement of the machinery, etc., was entrusted t© his soh, Mr B. H. Pottlethwaite,_ Who is by profession an electrical engineer. The first step was to secure a sufficient supply of raw material.' 1 This was a‘"comparatively easy matter, and it is estimated that sufficient has been purchased to keep the works .running for some two or three 1 years ; at the end of this period more,will haye,grown. The services of a skilled ‘working manager wero.secuied, and in a very short time operations were cordmenced. The works are now as complete as*any in the coibny, and afford employment to a large 'number ef hands. Much has lately been written oh the subject Of flax dressing, but a brief description of the Temuka works may not prove uq- " interesting !r Jt may, be prefaced , ijhat th’p flax i|i itslaative condition isishpplfed to the, works in bundles of about Icjvt.; Tn cutting care is, or should be, taken that the blades are free from notches, and arb ■ : pot out too closely to the butts; The first process is that of stripping. ■ j ‘ tsb ¥rfiirpiir#’ sheds t ate situated in proximity to the Temuka river. Three machines, are, steadily employed in removing the! green coloring matter. The flax bn passing through thp strippers, which are driven by a steam engine, is received on an endless belt o|r lattice, from which it is removed and laid in loose bundles or hanks. These are conveyed to a washing box, and having been rinsed and cleared of any loose ends

I left by the strippers, are left to soak on a I . staging, over which a flow of wacerpasse?. due course these bundles are conveyed "■* to the drying or bleaching ground, where ~ they are exposed until sufficiently dry to , ,admit of removal to the . sourcHiN® shbd; ' .

The process of scutching removes the s' balance of the green vegetable matter, • 'Straightens the fibre, and leaves -it soft ' And glossy. There are two scutching ‘-’ machines, each of large size and, improved make. They consist’ of revolving drums fitted, with short teeth;’ working against a

‘fixed plate similarly provided. Twomefa - are employed at each machine, there being -•' two feeding apertures. The hanks , are grasped near the centre, and’one end is introduced to the mouth of the machine, which rapidly draws in about the half of the hank, and rubs or combs it. It is then withdrawn, and the other half is treated to the same process. The machines are fitted with protected mouths, on a plan designed by the Government Inspector, bat the design is not such as to ( maet with general approval. The scutched . flax ie neatly twisted into skeins,!'and it is (then ready for I; BALIN* UP.' " ; j The procsss of baling up is simple, The skeins are laid end for end in a press of similar construction, but smaller than those

generally used for wool. When sufficiently ; pressed the bales are securely tied, a painted board being put outside • to serve as a label. The bales weigh from 2 to 2£cwts each. In the process of scutching ■ the shorter lengths of fibre ate dragged or combed out in the form of tow. The acute ben being protected by a framework, i. this tow is carried into chambers provided £fbHt'pwriouß to further treatment. The scutchers, it may bo mentioned are dressed with cyanide paint, »; non-com- / bustible material that reduces the danger of tHelf being; destroyed should a fire occur. The tow, which in many works is almost a waste product, is here removed to ; , THE HAOKLIN9 SHE®. This 1* s ma Dnß l process and requires some little Knack or skill.; _ Attached to a strong beam or table running the length of the shed are a number of blocks fitted with steel pine.. The hackler takes a, ; tough bundle of tow, gives it a dexterous twiet over the steel pins, pulls it through them, and repeats the process until the bundle is combed out straight. Dressing over a finer sp| ,pf P'hs completes the . process, and it is then twisted; into hanks amilar to the’scutched flax. The difference ..48 that the hackled fibre is shorter, but as will. feadily> be seen, softer. The short pieces of fibre removed by this last process rare utilised in the manfacture of twine, baa been mentioned the motive power the strippers is steam, but the ;/ a r 6 . driven by THE ELECTRIC . PROCESS, t ; - ■ -v in the introduction of ibis element more than' * n anything else that, the 1 nrnnrtotnra n c fcha Temuka works deserve ’ Postlethwaite to' work the Lmseefi Company’s machinery by electricity was always considered as being somewhat vague and indefinite and ‘ times. He has, however,;, apparatus which doja- ° . ? original proposition involved. Ihe o .'■ : ifig of light spinning machinery was a comparatively easy matter compared to scutching, which necessitates .the use of 'some ten to twelve horse, power. Confident, however, in the reseurces of science* Mr Postlethwaite never hesitated,

and without a single biteh be has secured a driving capacity equal to 15 horse power. At Messrs iispiriall and Co/a mill, about a mile from !na works, a turbine wheel capable of giving, with 12ft tall, some 40 horse power has been fixed. This drives one of Statter ahd Co.’s dynamos of power,|%hen full lo#ded|, equal to 20 horse poweiti; Tbe ypiro .transmitting the a io eHi'rapt Hto'-* the works is a 7-14 drawjn eObper wire. This is suitable for doabio’Uho power it is at present conbeen put up with the idea ffiafc.thi power wight . require to ibe duplicated. In transmission-a certain loss of power takes place, and it is estimated; that the power at the works is about 71*5 per cent of that at the dynamo, er POUghlyuSpeaking about, 15 horse power. "Pne’ijf the features of the machinery that ■ .an' inexperienced eye is its perfect government. The turbine and the dynaaie have Independent governors, fand the Action is so true that at the works ■ the scutching machines, when not fully employed, show little or no tendency to ‘‘ get away.” When it is considered that the variation of a machine running full or • empty is from say thirteen horse power to less than one the complete action of the governors will bo appreciated. The machines are supplied with two gauges ‘or’ibetres. The ampere metre indicates horse power, and the volt metre the pressure. The belting from the iy wheel of the turbine to the pulling of the dynamo is that known as the “ patent link belt.” It is ingeniously constructed of linked pieces of leather, and is proving a success* . It appeared to be used more slackly than the ordinary belts, and there was little: or no friction. Should anything occur likely to cause complication or accident, a simple Safeguard automatically shuts off connection and destroys the magnetic !|current. t The dynamo and motor each weigh about 1J tons. At the works the motor is fixed in a small shed about 6ft x 6ft adjoining the scutching shed. When once started requires little* or no attention’; lis struck with the comparative silence, of the machinery. Even when working at its highest speed there is no noise excepHhehum of . the scutcher. Smoke, dirt, and danger from fire ar© done away with, and the whole machine is an embodiment of unobtrusive power. There is little or no sparking,' as is* tho case with some machines, this result being, duo to its careful adjustment. The works are connected with the dynamo bouse by telephone, eo that instant communication is available. In glancing at''the old buildings the observer is struck with the large; shed . formerly necessaryto contain the boiler and engine which were used in working the twine machinery, as compared with the compact little motor bouss, and when one considers further tho constant attention an engine requires, the consumption of coal, and the danger from spark* igniting such combustible material as fitx there can be little deubt that the motive power of tho future, when obtainable ata reasonable cost, will be electricity. In addition te working the scutchers the motor will be used in working the twine machinery, an important addition to which ils daily expected. Vvhen in full work in each department between 60 and 70 hands will find employment. 4t present 41 are engaged. The installation of the electric machinery was celebrated yesterday by