NEW ZEALAND HEMP.

Evening Star, Issue 3201, 24 May 1873, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND HEMP.

(“ Anglo- Australian ” in European Mail, March 21.)

Much progress is being made in the utilisation of the New Zealand phormium. Some time back I learnt from Mr Thorne that he had not successful in getting the damask tablecloth manufactured in Belfast. He, however, receiycd great assistance fyom My J. Magee, of Milk street, who kindly influ : enced Messrs Dunbar, M‘.Master, and Co., of Belfast, fo spin some of the prepared fibre* for him by the “ wet ” spinning process.. The result was that a good yarn was manufactured both from the Ijnp and but ft was not sufficiently fine for the higher class fabrics. The report said “ The New Zealand fibre is not adapted for wet spinning, but we think would suit very well for making very coarse Nos. of dry-spun yarn?, say sixes and eights.” The. attempt to put this yarn into a fine cloth was unsuccessful, and the bulk was return d to Mr Thorne, who has since had it applied to the manufacture of sheeting in North Lopham, under the superintendence of Messrs K. and S. Beales, the phormium yarn being used as the weft; the warp is of Irish linen yarn. The sheeting, although rather coarse, is strong and useful. Mr Magee personally introduced Mr Thorne to Mr J. K. T. Mulholland, of the Northern Spinning and Weaving Company, Belfast, and this gentleman took a great deal of trouble iu his endeavor to spin a really fine yarn from the fibre. Native-dressed phormium was us?d, but owing to the twist in the fibre, which returned after fine hackling, it was found useless to attempt to proceed, but Mr Mulholland did not slacken his efforts until he bad produced a small hank of really pretty yarn. In one of his reports Mr Mu'holland said“ It is just possible that with a little oil it might be hackled by band, and spun by the dry-s winning process ; but in that case it cannot be made so fine as if it could be spun wet. ” In sending the hank, he remarked “ I send by this night’s post the yarn I spun. It is not much, but quite enough to convince me that it would not work in oor wet system of spinning, and that I could make nothing more of it. ’ By the dry-spinning the yarns are not well adapted for the superior chss of fabric, and yet Messrs D. Lornie and Sons, of Kirkcaldy, have succeeded in m&nufactur. ing for Mr Thorne a damask tablecloth which is certainly a very strong and useful fabric; perhaps this wodlcj be bonsldWed too coated for a Belgraviau establishment, but would be much appreciated by the colonists in New Zealand. Mr Lockhart, an old colonist, anct now a manufacturer in Kirkcaldy, is hard at work producing cloths, fishing-nets, twines,

carpeting, from the phortmum fibre, and proving beyond cavil that this fibre is adapted to the various uses to which he is now applying it. Mr Forbes, at the instigation ofMrThorne, commenced spinning the fibre in order to show its commercial value; and now, as others are taking it up, there can be little doubt much of the prejudice existing against phormium will be cleared away ; and it only requires the colonists to send such well softened fibre, that the manufacturers may feel assured the supply will be regularly continued, and this Colonial industry will really become one of great importance both to the colonist and the manufacturer. Mr Thorne caUing upon me a few days back, to keep me informed of the progress made, so that I may give timely intelligence to my friends at New Zealand, saw lying before me a piece of “Hooper’s telegraphic cable,” which was “ served” round with Manilla hemp-yarn. He immediately asked me for an introduction to Mr Hooper, and I readily gave it him. Mr Hooper kindly received him, supplied him with interesting details regarding the manufacture of the cable, and said New Zealand flax had been tried, but the quality seemed so irregular that it did not answer the purpose of the company to use it, and what they had tried did not stand the submersion in the tea-water equal to Manilla. Mr Thorne beli-ves the fibre will be eventually so prepared as to make its durability equal to that of Manilla—inasmuch, as it has already been shown, by the manner in which the rope made from phormium fibre u*cd in Belize, on board 1*110(11614—and ropes sent to sea in various vessels—have stood severe tests, and proved equal to Manilla, that it is more in the mode of preparing the fibre than the fibre itself, that the fault exists. It is now shown by practical proofs that phormium fibre can be so prepared as to render it fitted for the manufacture of almost every variety of article, from a ship’s cable to a fine linen ; and having seen many fibres, more especially jute, when fi r st introduced to notice, practically condemned, we may venture to predict that the day is not far distant when the phormium fibre will be eagerly competed for by manufacturers. I consider much gratitude is due to those who have given, a';d are still giving, the fibre a trial, as the great difficulty in all matters of this kind is to find those who will take trouble and interest in making first attempts ; and when successes are obtained, it is nothing unusual for the means by which the results were produced to be lost sight of.