FLAX COMMISSIONERS.

9

G.—No. 17.

(2.) Yes. As imported for our fabrics, £60 per ton; if for Leeds and Irish fabrics, £80 to £90 per ton. (3.) With Irish and English flax, which is used for strengthening purposes. (4.) If I were to get it weaved, I should need at least 2cwt. of flax as imported. I could get it weaved into very fine towelling damasks and such like. If your friend were to get the tow he expects, I should be glad to have it to spin for him, and would get it weaved in Dunfermline, where the best linen fabrics are made. lam getting on slowly with your own stuffs, —they are a more difficult matter. I hope, from what I have written, Dr. Featherston will be able to gain some information; and with kindest regards, I am, &c, C. Thorne, Esq., A. K. Forbes. 16, Mark Lane, London. 16, Mark Lane, 8.C., My Dear Sir, — London, 11th December, 1871. I have just received, by express train, two yards of my canvas made from New Zealand fibre. It is just as it left the loom, having neither been cropped nor calendered, which accounts for its rough appearance. I expect the 150 yards, of which this forms the sample, will be sent to me in a finished condition by Wednesday's steamer, but I send you a sample of one yard of this first lot, so as to enable you to send it to your friends by the mail on Wednesday. My friend wonders why you have not sent him the 401bs. Native-dressed flax. He promises me cloth fine enough for towelling and sheeting shortly. I will call on you to-morrow about 10.30 a.m. I am, &c, Dr. Featherston, C. Thorne. New Zealand Government Agency.

(No. 268.)—Mr. Buller to Dr. Hector.—9th May, 1872. By the outgoing mail (via Southampton) I have forwarded to your address a parcel containing a roll of sheeting made of pure New Zealand Phcyrmium. It is a portion of the supply ordered by Dr. Featherston (through Mr. Thorne) some months ago, reference to which you will find in the correspondence already forwarded. One of the rolls supplied is of a finer quality and whiter in colour, but Dr. Featherston considered it better to retain this for exhibition here. Mr. Thome's Irish correspondent having agreed to attempt some finer fabrics, such as table damasks, (fee, if I would supply not less than 2cwt. of Native-dressed fibre (gratis), I accordingly sent down that quantity, leaving three small bales still on hand, and I have to-day received Mr. Thome's report, as follows : —" I handed the whole of the Native-dressed New Zealand flax to my Irish friend yesterday, and on examining some of the parcels we found a difference in quality, not only as regards colour, but also fineness. My friend says all will be carefully sorted, so as to leave an evenly-coloured or sized yarn. He expects to leave London the end of this or beginning of next week. When in Ireland he will see the matter carefully put in hand, and will spare no trouble to bring this to a successful result. I told him not to let expense be any obstacle; so I hope in about a month or two the report will be satisfactory." I will do my utmost to hurry forward this interesting experiment, and will communicate the result to you as early as possible.

(No. 269.)— Mr. Buller to Dr. Hector.—lsth May, 1872. By direction of the Agent-General I have the honor to forward herewith, for the information of the Flax Commissioners, copies of letters from Mr. Thorne, relating to the conversion of New Zealand Phormium into textile fabrics. I have, at the same time to report that, in accordance with your request, I have put myself into further communication with Professor Church, of Cirencester Agricultural College, with a view to getting a more complete and exhaustive report on the chemistry of Phormium tenax, and that I have this day received the following letter from him : — " R. A. College, Cirencester, "Dear Sir, " 14th May, 1872. " I have been delayed by press of work from attending to your letter of 25th April earlier. During the last few days, however, I have gone over the New Zealand papers of the Flax Commission, and feel that I know pretty nearly what work is needed to complete the chemical study of the Phormium tenax. I have read the papers by Dr. Hector, Captain Hutton, and Mr Skey, and think I shall be able to unravel the remaining tangles of the subject. I will give you a list of the points to which my final and exhaustive inquiry should be directed, but I should be greatly aided in this work if I could have at hand a copy of the Reports by Dr. McNab and myself. I presume that there can be no objection to this, though I was not allowed to retain one of the duplicate lithographs of these preliminary reports which Dr. McNab and I sent in when they were first struck off. " May I inquire the date of the mail by which you desire to transmit memos, of the progress of the arrangements 1 " Yours faithfully, "A. H. Church." I need scarcely add that I have furnished a copy of the report as requested. 3