LINSEED OIL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20659, 9 January 1942, Page 2

LINSEED OIL

PRODUCTION IN N.Z. LICENSING OF INDUSTRY SURPLUS SEED AVAILABLE (Per Press ( A( ,socia l‘ on, l WELLINGTON, this day. The Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, issued a statement last night in regard to the decision to license the industry lor .the, manufacture of linseed oil and -linseed oil cattle cake under the Industrial Efficiency Act. “The manufacture .of linseed oil," said the Minister, “is hot a new industry in the Dominion, as it was carried out some years ago by a firm in Auckland. At that time linseed was grown in fairly substantial quantities in the South Island and shipped to Auckland for manufacturing into the oil and cattle cake. “The position to-day, however, .is somewhat different for, as is known, the New Zealand Government has undertaken at the request of the British Government to., grow linseed primarily for the production of linen fibre. However, linen flax crops may be used either for fibre or for seed which can be utilised in the manufacture of linseed oil.” Chance For Manufacturers The Minister said the purpose of declaring the industry one to be carried under license from the Bureau of Industry was to give New Zealand interests possessing sufficient technical knowledge of the manufacture pf linseed, oil and cattle cake also the opportunity to engage in the industry under the protection of the Industrial Efficiency Act. In this connection the bureau yvas open to receiv.e applications for licenses frorp any interests who. were in a position to make an economic success of. the industry. The Minister quoted figures which indicated that the use of. linseed oil in New Zealand was fairly substantial, and mentioned that in 1939 oyer 708.000 gallons, valued at nearly £IIO,OOO, were imported, while in 1940 we imported 962,000 gallons, valued at £259,000. ,It could thus be seen there was an opening for an extensive new industry to ,be operated in the Dominion.. . In addition to the figures just quoted, there were ..considerable imports of linseed oil arid cattle cake. “At the present time,” concluded the Minister, “there is a\ surplus of seed available from the 11 linen flax mills operating in the South..lsland and there is therefore an immediate source of supply of seed ready for any commercial interests .which might secure a license to engage in the