LINEN FLAX INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 280, 25 August 1942, Page 2

LINEN FLAX INDUSTRY

Fluff Only By-product Not

Yet Used

SUBSTANTIAL EXPORTS

"The only byproduct of the growing and processing of linen flax for which a use has not yet been found is the very fine fluff that collects round the factories,’’ said Mr. J. W. Hadfield, director of the linen flax section of the Department of Industries aud Commerce, when reviewing progress in the development of this new industry in an interview in Christchurch. Mr. Hadfield said the department’s expectations regarding the utility of the various products of the industry had been fully realized.

The lowest grade of fibre is 'being used successfully for the manufacture In New Zealand of seaming twine, aud it has been found that it will stand up to the heavy .pressure required of twine used for seaming wool pacts. So far, said Mr. Hadfield, 1318 tons of fibre and tow have been produced, of which all but 100 tons has been exported. This total includes some of this year’s crop, but the greater part of it is the processed linen flax of the 1940-41 season, the first season of production in the Dominion. Some of the crops this year will be very heavy, at Tapanui the expected yield being as high as two and three-quarter tons to the acre. The quality in this area suffered to some extent, unfortunately, through the wet season. The resulting discoloration of straw may reduce the value of the fibre by as much as 50 per cent. Speaking of the development of byproducts of the liuen flax industry, Mr. Hadfield said Dominion Industries, Ltd., Dunedin, was now erecting an oil extraction plant, primarily to turn to advantage the surplus of seed. Another valuable development has been the crushing of seed bolls to produce chaff for stock feeding. All the woody portion of the linen flax plant is used for firing the boilers in the factories, aud the only substantial waste up to the present has been a certain amount of rakings from the paddocks. Experiments iti the use. of these rakings for paiier manufacture had been carried out, but Mr. Hadfield said the department was uot very hopeful of this being a great success, though it had been proved that this rough fibre could ‘be used in brown' paper. Much more hopeful as an outlet for this by-product was its use in fibrous plaster. Fibre for this product was in very short supply and the linen flax rakings had proved perfectly satisfactory. All the 17 liuen flax factories—the whole industry was confined to the South Island—were equipped witli seed cleaning machines, said Mr. Hadfield, and grinding plants were being installed at each in order to ensure the fullest utilization of the ehalf. The iirst-quality fibre, all of which is being exported, goes to Scotland and Ireland. There it has been a valuable addition to Britain’s supplies of raw materials for the manufacture of aeroplane wing and fuselage coverings, fire hose, canvas, tents, shoe thread, webbing, parachute cords, and 100 or more different kinds of weather-resist-ant cordage for the Navy.