HOW FARES FLAX?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1532, 30 August 1912, Page 5

HOW FARES FLAX?

(By Telcjraph.-Press Association.) Palmerston, August 29. A letter has been received by tho act-ing-president of tho New Zealand Flaxmillore' Association (Mr. E. Broad) from Mr. Joseph Liggins (president of the association, and at present in Europe) in regard to the proposed bonus offered by the Government for improvements in tho treatment of ilax. Mr. Liggins writes that the greatest interest has been aroused, especially in Germany, and several people of scientific and practical eminence arc studying tho question'of spinning yarns of iil'ire. He says that such wonderful results have been obtained in tho treatment of ramie and Italian hemp (hat he is full of hope in regard,to Sow Zealand fibre. He understands that the developments in regard to the treatment of julo hv a similar process are still move marvellous. He refers to the difficulty of getting green flax for experimental purposes, and nn* closes a letter from one German scientist who has succeeded in getting green leaf from the botanical gardens in Dresden. For the purpose of studying this treatment other flux is being sent for from St. Helena. Ho says, in reference to tho price- of hemp,'that it was ,£2j> 10s., for g.f.a.q., and adds that 'there seems to be an unaccountable shortage, which ho .believes in caused by the development of Italian hemp, jute, and ramie in tho spinning fibre. The High Commissioner secured for him (from the Foreign Office) . credentials to various British' Consuls and representatives in Europe. As the result of this, and introduction? which he took witJi him, he interested a large number of scientists , in the treatment of our flax from which he anticipates good results.