FLAX ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 645, 17 June 1870, Page 2

FLAX ASSOCIATION.

A special meeting of the sub-committee was held at their temporary offices yesterday afternoon. Mr E. Bichardson, chairman, presided, and there were also present Messrs De Bourbel, Pavitt, Johnstone, Loughnan, Sheath, J. A. Bird (hon. see), and F. H. M. Walker. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The draft rules for the management of the Association were brought up, and being read, were unanimously adopted. The question of permanent offices wai next considered. Mr Bird made an offer under certain conditions for renting a portion of his premises to the Association ; but, after some discussion, the matter was entrusted to the chairman for final arrangement. Mr De Bourbel desired to make some explanation with regard to the letter read at last meeting from Mr Khull. The letter is as follows : — " High street Christcburch, 6th June, 1870. To the Secretary Flax Association, Christchurcb. Dear Sir, — Should the following information be of any service to your Association, I hereby most willingly tender it. Whilst engaged in superintending the hot water washpen of Mr E. B. Walker, View Hill, Oxford, a bundle of flax, consisting of about a dozen leaves, accidentally fell into the boiler, which contained about -400 gallons, and in which we had about 3lbs of common brown soap. They remained in it all night, and were discorered about three o'clock on the afternoon of next day, and on being removed, I placed them under the battery, which baa a pressure of about five feet. They then became almost as white as the wool we were washing, and after drying on the fence, I used them for the common purpose of crackers for a stock whip, and I found them answer the purpose much better than flax stripped in the usual way with a knife. The leaves were about tffo years old, the swamp from which they were gathered having been burned off about that time. I know that boiling flax is no new theory, but what, I think, has escaped the notice of our flax dressers is the ÜBe of a buttery in cleaning the flax after passing either through the mill or whatever other operation it may go through. The battery at which I cleaned the foregoing has a very small pressure, and yet it combed the fibre out' and drove all the green outside coating off at once. I may meiition that the flax was take.i out of boiliug water, and put immediately under the battery, so that all the gum was in

a highly soluble stafe^ and in the best possible condition for ''3ks& removal. . Hoping that the hint about the battery may prove of some service to -^r new industry, I remain, dear sir, yours, &c, T. A. Khull." He had seen Mr who, from pressure of other business, would be unable to undertake any experiments for the Association. He had, however, given him (Mr De Bourbel) every information with a view to their testing the value of his information on their awn account, fie said the flax leaves were_jn__the boiler twenty-four hours, and tbatTwlieh taken out they were in one mass of pulp. The water from the battery was delivered by a species of spreader about a f oot in-dlameter, before it acted on the pulp. The 'pipe'* feeding the spreader was a two-inch one, and the holes in the spreader were about a quarter of an inch in diameter. The force of the water — equal to a five-feet fall — instantaneously separated the fibre as if " combed " out, and carried away the whole of the vegetable matter. The crackers made from this fibre lasted, so Mr Khull said, a whole driy, whilst the crackers from flax prepared in the usual style — skinned with a knife — only Berved for about an hour. The fibre, Mr Khull said, was as soft, pliable, and clean as could be well imagined. Mr Khull also told him that there were 4lbs of soap and 4lbs of soda in the boiler, and that^ altogether, there were twelve leaves of flax. The plan thus detailed was a very simple oae, and he (Mr Deßourbel) would suggest that the sub-committee should have it thoroughly tried. Mr Khull was not a man who was led by want of a situation, to make his suggestions to the committee, being manager for Mr Walker, and, as he said, , merely tendered them with a desire to aid, if possible, in promoting the flax industry. When less busy, Mr Khull would be willing to afford the committee any further information or assistance they might desire. After some discussion as to the ways and means for testing the experiments, 'it was resolved that the chairman wait upon Mr Jenkins, Steam Saw ..Mills, and obtain his co-operatiob. Mr Favitt remarked upon the desirability of giving publicity, amongst those in England interested in flax, to the letter which had been received from Captain Mordue, and after a brief discussion, it was decided, on bis motion, that a copy of the letter be forwarded per next mail to Messrs Noble and Co., flax brokers, London. Mr Johnstone adverting to the latter part of the letter, said he had that day been shown a quantity of rope which had been sent out here from England as Manilla, but in which there was fully one-third of New Zealand flax. Mr Walker was authorised to carry out the experiments previously entrusted to him at the expense of the Association. On the motion of Mr Loughnan, seconded by Mr Pavitt, the secretary was instructed to write to Dr Heotor, requesting him to make 1 experiments on a large scale, say 1 cwt., on behalf of the Association, and particularly with steam ; or should he be unable to do so, that he would suggest to the committee any mode of preparing flax which he might deem worth trying. Mr Loughnan suggested the advisability of Bending a quantity of flax home to the Admiralty, with a request that it should be tested for rope-making purposes. The chairman said that Mr Walker had informed him that the two bales of fibre with which his firm (Benn and Walker) took the prize at the last Agricultural Show, and which was generally admitted to be the best bulk sample turned out in the province, had been sent to a gentleman in England, who purposed taking a portion to the ropemakers and a portion to manufacturers of fabric, with a view to ascertaining for what purpose it was best fitted. When the result became known, a report would be sent out and laid before the Association. The chairman desired to call public attention to the suggestion book, provided by the committee. It would always remain in their temporary office, and the committee would be glad to receive through its medium any suggestions bearing upon flax manufacture. The following notices of motion were given for next meeting, which was fixed for Thursday next, at 2 p.m. Mr Deßourbel to more, that a premium be given for a Ist prize for samples of retted flax, and £5 for a second prize; the quantity not to be less than 1 cwt of fibre, showing the cost and expenses of each, the judges to consist of the subcommittee, who shall decide their awards on the Ist of August next. Mr Johnatone to move, that at the next meeting of the committee, a premium be offered for the best sample of fibre (1 cwt.) prepared by chemistry. Mr Loughnan to move, that the Provincial Government be memorialised to make a grant of public money in aid of the funds of the Association.