THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 425, 6 February 1909, Page 4

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

'•■• i ,^V'i^''.T^??*^?r"raEss.-iesoqiiTibkl).V---L ! .■; ■ i V , : ■■ i i:'.'■; PalmerstorUNortHi February; - ; 3 '.:Jnjian::article; published; inVa-'lbcaT paper \: '. 1 dealing;'. with'Jabourl-ahd-;wageslin■.■■■relation ' ' : - 3 to':the;flas,-in : dustry,',Mr. ?Alfred;,Soifert, a ; ;' j. ■■wdlrknoTO; i -flak:.miller , ■'-■ i bresenfr. situation,.and*the deputation'to the,; j Slinister; ; for'Labour.: ; He'says that.the extra t cost of production's ■ frequently passed on. to.:. ■ V 1 the ■ oohsuiner, but : mctustries that are ,in',.com-. 3 petition :with-outside'markets cannot passthe ... T . increased;cost:.on.s.iTherefore, they rnust'po/V;.' 1 to' theswall' linloss; spnie : ,change..is' effected.^/;,; f Thb flax ; industry is .in.exactly/this.• position, 7 -;''. '.-. .- and.the situation .inH liavp faced, alike; '•; 3 by'employers and employee's:,;;;.. ; :V.;v•■;•.■■.;.■.'.f 3 ':.; TKe tendency, to increase wages J limit, poice- j. -: V; t. .TCoi'kj.'.appreiiticeai and hours.in'indiistries,for. : ■: • . : 3 Homo . corisumptibn ;.pr..locih;deniand;inust 1 bo seriously considered.; It' means one,.liighjy.'". r< j bodjr- of workers;exploiting those . :L: - : less.happily;, situated. , : 1 There -are -two .rerner . '. dies: one a ; return;to;natural conditionsj the •■■•':■!■' • other, by a :: systemvof ■;houraV:equar'to: i ' the:li^' ' of' productibn ;caused , by' the -■'■ ''■• ■' said 'artificial'conditions. :■ That; is to say; I workers as a wholojwbuld;;be. called uppii. to : •..;. ■ subsidise the. industry.;to- an . amount: equal - ''■■ i tothe increase in, wages dueltoisuch condi-' i tjons.'. With regard.' to: royalties, .tho taxa-Uv ■ ■, tion levied-upon flax'Jands and industryto- / ; ; ; i day equals, if it .does not exceed, the.royalty -": : ' . ' charged'to'.millers i?' alleged .-;= '. to .have paid , at! £11 'per!, ton.': ;. In , conriec- '■-■■'' ■ "'■'■> ; tion'with;- the; statement..tha't flax was ■made- ■'■■ .. to pay, J at : £li;,per; ton, Mr. 'iSeifert^quotea ''■'■■ :> .; fiiznre3 v to ishowVthat^very-VlittleVJlix;'was;. 'U : \ ■ sold;at' that jjnce.'i.'Hßj'alsq shb.ws;by:figureai-. ; " ; tbe":steadyv;rise;;iri;; thij.;;c6st; 6f ■ " : ' : -' : durinK i the. ? past.;,few.:years;: -The'- matterC-;^ should , , bo .not as- a. local,..but as , a "■■■'• ■■■'■': national, question , , so that, one' of our most ■'.*• ';'/ '. valuable pnmary industries may be preserved.' W' , :