FLAX COMMISSIONERS.

a.—So. 4.

5

(No. 9.) —Chairman to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet.—22nd November, 1870. I have the honor to enclose to you the draft of a letter which I request you will be so good as to transmit to the Government Agent in London by the first opportunity.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to Mr. Morrison.—22nd November, 1870. I have the honor to request that you will procure and forward to the address of " The Flax Commissioners," Wellington, 3 cwt. of each of the under-mentioned fibres, and of any others that compete in the English market with the New Zealand Phormium tenax, viz.:—Russian, Manilla, and Italian hemp, Bombay Jute, and Irish and Continental flax. The parcels should be carefully packed in separate bundles, and marked with the names of the fibre, and also with the English market price and the place of production.

(No. 49.)—Mr. Mobeison to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet.—20th February, IS7O. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter (No. 132) of the 24th November last, directing me to procure and forward, in separate bundles of 3 cwt. each, to the Flax Commissioners, Wellington, samples of all the fibres that compete in the English market with the New Zealand Phormium tenax. In reply, I beg to inform you that Messrs G. and J. A. Noble, fibre-brokers, of George Yard, Lombard Street, have kindly agreed to execute this commission, and to furnish full particulars as to the English market price and place of production of each fibre, adding thereto any general remarks respecting each or any of the samples which might be of interest to the Government. The samples will be forwarded by the " Edinburgh Castle," for Wellington, on or about the Ist proximo, and full particulars of the shipment will be transmitted by the mail following. (No. 75.)—Mr. Mobeison to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet.—15th March, ISGI. In continuation of my letter No. 65, of the 20th ultimo, I have the honor to inform you that Messrs. G. and J. A. Noble have selected samples of Russian, Italian, Bombay, Sisal, and Manilla hemp, Egyptian flax, and aloe fibre, being the fibres which compete in the English market with the Phormuim tenax ; and that they, together with two samples of the latter, have been shipped per " Edinburgh Castle " for Wellington, packed in separate bales, addressed as in the margin [" The Flax Commissioners, Wellington, N.Z."] I beg to transmit herewith duplicate bill of lading for this shipment, Messrs. Noble's invoice, copy of letter addressed to you per " Edinburgh Castle," and duplicate policy of insurance. Enclosed herewith is also the report by Messrs. Noble on the several samples; together with copy of a further report received from them, in answer to a letter I addressed to them, copy of which is also enclosed. With reference to the two samples of the Phormium tenax, I beg to state that I assented to their being forwarded, as Messrs. Noble considered it desirable that flax-growers in the Colony should understand what qualities are most in demand in the English market. I venture to invite your attention to the enclosed copy of a letter from Mr. C. Thome, of 16, Mark Lane, who has greatly interested himself in the manufacture of the New Zealand fibre into rope, and whose experiments have been tested by several ship-captains and others, who have used the rope made from the fibre by his process. Messrs. Manning, Collyer, and Co. have likewise favoured me with a report containing some practical suggestions as to the mode of cleaning the fibre for export, of which I enclose a copy. Any further particulars which I may bo supplied with by any of the above-named gentlemen, shall be at once communicated to the Government for the information of the Flax Commissioners.

4, George Yard, Lombard Street, London, E.C., 11th February, 1S71. Mr. Moeeisos', for the New Zealand Government Agency, bought per G. and J. A. Noble. £ a. d. No. 1. Eussian hemp, 1 bale, nett 3 cwts., @ 34s. 6d. ... ... 5 3 6 No. 2. Italian hemp, 1 bale, nett 4 cwts., @ 41s. Gd. ... ... 8 6 0 No. 3. Bombay hemp, 1 bale, 3 cwts. 1 qr. 20 lbs., @ 27s. ... ... 4 12 7 No. 4. Sisal hemp, 1 bale, 3 cwts. 2 qrs. 5 lbs., @ 48s. ... ... S 10 2 No. 5. Egyptian flax, 1 bale, 2 cwts. 3 qrs. 11 lbs., @ 55s. ... ... 7 16 8 No. 6. Aloe fibre, 1 bale, 2 cwts. 1 qr. 3 lbs., @ 22s. ... ... 2 10 1 No. 7. Manila hemp, 1 bale, 2 cwts. 1 qr. 19 lbs., @ 56s. ... ... 6 15 6 No. 8. New Zealand flax, 1 bale, 4 cwts. 1 qr. 19 lbs., @ 33s. ... 7 5 10 No. 9. New Zealand flax, 1 bale, 2 cwts. 11 lbs., @ 39s. ... ... 3 18 4 £ s. d. 8. d. 54 18 8 Discount on 21 8 9 @ 2\ f- cent., 10 8 5 3 6 @ 3|- <$• cent., 3 10 7 16 8 @ 3;} j> cent., 5 10 2 10 1 g 24 j? cent., 1 3 7 5 10 g 3£ f cent., 5 6 „ 3 18 4 @ 3| f- cent., 2 10 1 q ii Carried forward ... ... ... ... 53 8 9 2