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Globe, Volume I, Issue 42, 18 July 1874, Page 4

At the Westminster Police Court the other day, in a case of stabbing, the prisoner gave the name of Chang-Chang. The reporter naively adds that he was “ a Chinaman.” New Zealand Flax, says the *■ Home News ’ is under a cloud just now. From the colony we receive advices of ilax-mills being closed in consequence of the unprofitable nature of the business, and at home complaints are made to the effect that concurrent with the decline of the paying prices obtained some time ago a carelessness in the preparation of the fibre is manifest, ■ This circumstance, in connection with the fact that good Manilla hemp can now be obtained at as low a price as ruled for phormium two years ago, sufficiently accounts for the lowered value of the latter. The worst news in connection with the flax industry comes from Canterbury, at which place the Flax Spinning and Weaving Company is to be turned into a woollen manufactory. From the same province we are informed that the Christchurch Flax Association is “ a name only.” From other places the news is better. Mr C. J. Pownall, of Wellington, has forwarded to Mr C. Thorne, who of all men deserves credit for exertions made in behalf of phormium, a sample of fibre prepared by him. This is the best machine-dressed flax hitherto seen in the English market. This sample is now in Dundee, and will be worked up, either by itself or with ordinary flax, into cloth of some kind. It is to be feared that New Zealanders have been too easily discouraged in connection with the flax industry; If success is worth attaining, it is worth working for. Not many years ago jute was in far worse repute than the phormium of to-day. Now its spinning and weaving employs tens of thousands of people, and fortunes have and are being made out of it rapidly. The material that was only fit for gunny bags a few years ago is now in high repute, and is used for numerous textile purposes. Any lady who indulges in the luxury of a Japanese silk dress may, by drawing a thread of its warp, discover that her gorgeous garment is composed in great part of tire once despised and neglected jute. When the beautiful fabrics woven from native dressed flax are remembered, it will not be difficult to believe that a great future is in store for rkvrmium tenax.