Gleams on the Horizon.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6312, 9 August 1888, Page 2

Gleams on the Horizon.

Otje dark horizon is lightened by several gleams. There ia the -wheat gleam, the the frozen mutton gleam — a very bright ones — and the wool gleam. Of all these ye Epol-e the otlier day. "We ommitted the little flax gleam — the flax -which, the wise and learned call by the name of Phorniwn ienax, from the toughness or ita wonderful fibre. Many of us found that fibre a vast deal too tenacious iii the old days — old for bo young a country, though but seventeen to nineteen years ago. Many good people fought and wrestled with flax in Can- | terbury then. "We could point to scores of men who carry the scars of that conflict to this day, and soma few whose wounds are stiU freeh ond crippling. It is not of the wounded in the battle wo , want to speak, but the anrounceniont has been made that a revolution j in- the treating process of this remark* r , able fibre has besn discovered. Mr Clarke, of Waikuka, has invented a method of retting which removes the gum without hurting the fibre, or in any appreciable way adding to the cost of production. At ' the same time, we learn that the Maoris in the North are selling green flax by the ton at as high as 12s to 14s, the price of old having been 5s to 63. It is clear that the present London prices pay, and that they will soon pay more. "We learn that very soon, through Messrs "Wood, Shand and Co., the fibre prepared by Mc Clarke's process, will be introduced into the market. It is possible that the cultivation of tho Phormium may be added bafore long to our agricultural industries. Verily there are many shots still left in the wonderful locker that Nature has provided for us.