FLAX INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 146, 15 March 1919, Page 10

FLAX INDUSTRY

MILLS. CLOSED DOWS. Off.ein;. figures compiled by the Department of Agriculture.show, a substantial lEwing off in. production of Now Zealand hemp during the year ended February- The production or rather the Quantities in bales graded were as follow : ■- ■' • r • ' 1317-18. y 1918-19. • Hemp 161,148 111,167 Tow i.:.„ 36,397 22,283 i Stripper slips 2,555 822 j .The decreases .for the - past twelve . months are' 19,'981 bales hemp, 14,114 t saks tow, and "1713 bales slips, in all [ 35,708 bales. • ' v ! 'ho grading of hemp for the month ; of lebruitry last for the wholo Dominion, j (5155 Wellington, 3795 Foxton) i bi'.sefi. showed a shrinkage of 3992 bales | compared with the quantity graded in j February, 1918. "Fair" grade hemp accounted for 11,918 bales. j It lias been estimated that there are j fully 40,000 bales of ilax in store in New j AealanJ awaiting export, worth fully : i 8225.006. ; There is sailing tonnage offei'- ' nig to the United States at a low rate, ; but .no market there: except, for prompt j delivery, according to latest reports. Lon:hn is described as "nibbling." ! 4u«h of the hemp, held in store is on | j millers' account, representing a very j la.ws sum of money in the aggregate paid jent thiough labour, royalty, and other ) channels. j' In thc-se circumstances the mills in the Mari'awatu and Foxton districts have |be>n compelled to close down, end mills ! in the Auckland and Southland districts i have .also closed. Their reopening bej »ore next season begins is problematical, j Inquiries made locally have failed to ob-tain-a price for-flax'to-day, except for one or two small parcels, worth about I® 'Per ton, f.o.b.,'for high fair grade. ThU is .a fall of; ia,'per, ton on rates ruling here three months ago.