THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 4, 15 April 1913, Page 409

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

W. H. Ferris

General Deterioration in Quality.

Notwithstanding the splendid values ruling for high-quality fibre the phormium hemp graded in the Dominion last month was of a most disappointing character. Especially is the position unsatisfactory when it is remembered that the milling plant has been greatly improved during the last few years, thereby making •it possible to produce a much freer and better-coloured fibre. The principal cause of the serious decline in quality is, in myopinion, poor stripping, due either to a desire to strip more fibre than the stripper is capable of treating effectively, to careless work on the part of the stripper-keeper, or the employment of inexperienced men. In many cases the phormium-leaf has been merely split, owing to the stripper not being maintained at the correct set, due either to a desire on the part of the miller to rush as much leaf through as possible irrespective of quality, or to carelessness on the part of the stripper-keeper. For the same reason much of the hemp has been bruised, and thereby reduced in strength. The stripping being bad, after-processes have failed to correct the weakness. Where the vegetation has not been properly removed from the fibre, no system of washing or bleaching will ensure a good colour. Where the stripping has been satisfactory the fibre has had in a few cases to be graded down owing to the poor . scutching, and bad scutching is often more serious from the cordage-manufacturer’s point of view than baa stripping. The latter may leave considerable vegetable matter adhering to the fibre and may cause it to have a poor colour, but the fibre will not be- knotted or towy. Of course, it is impossible to properly scutch fibre bruised in the stripping process. The more such fibre is scutched the worse its condition becomes. It is not forgotten that some mills have badly diseased leaf to deal withleaf from which nothing but a common grade can be produced ; but these mills are excluded from the above remarks.' Some of the best mills in the country, having a good leaf to deal with, are turning out the unsatisfactory fibre. Not for six or seven years has such - a high percentage of low-grade fibre reached • the grading-stores. There is little doubt it is chiefly due'to. the high values ruling, as the unsatisfactory milling-work became noticeable last November and has continued to the present time, being very accentuated last month.. Between the

previous and the present boom the general standard of our fibre was excellent. Certainly, only the best mills were working at the lower values, but these were palpably intent on aiming at quality rather than quantity. • Now, as in the previous boom-time, the position is reversed, and everything is apparently being sacrificed to quantity. More money may be made by turning out a huge output of low-grade fibre, which can be sold at a high price, but it is ■' doubtful if it is more profitable even now than milling a superior article, and is certainly against a permanent demand for phormium the reputation of which is being imperilled by the present short-sighted policy. • . : : ■ There is a big demand for good-fair ” fibre, but there is no fibre of this quality available — matter for very great- regret, as good-fair has been our standard quality for binder-twine. If this grade is 1 not obtainable, cordage-manufacturers will be compelled to use other'fibres for this purpose,' to our permanent disadvantage. Australian .binder-twine manufacturers would take New Zealand good-fair in preference to Manila, but as the former is unobtainable they are being forced to use Manila: Even our high-pointed fair cannot be used for binder-twine, owing, to being too coarse and wiry. A very bad feature of some fines coming forward is that, evidently with the idea of utilizing every scrap of fibre, some hanks are being “ faced ” with good fibre, giving the drawn hank the appearance of being of decent quality; but when the hank is opened up for inspection it. is found to contain hemp of a very inferior description. This has not occurred for some years, and is to be deplored. At a time like the present it is particularly unfortunate, as the graders are busy enough with a record output to deal with without having to examine more hanks than should be necessary in order to discover .if the “ facing ” trick is in evidence. As a consequence, strict, instructions have been issued to the graders to examine the hemp as thoroughly as possible. I am continually expecting to have complaints as to grading, owing to the apparent prevalence of the “ facing ” deception. The only districts turning out decent-quality fibre at the present time are Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, and Canterbury. The poor quality is confined to Auckland, Wellington, and .Southland districts. Westland fibre is not so bad, but has gone back in quality-owing to defective scutching of the tail-ends. Stripper-slips have in many cases been coming to hand in a damp and even wet condition. A considerable number of bales have had to be condemned in consequence. Needless to say, tow has been unsatisfactory— quality is a reflex of that of the hemp.- Condemnations on account of bad shaking and poor colour have been general. ’ .