PUBLIC MEETING AT RANGIORA.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2325, 16 September 1881, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING AT RANGIORA.

A public meeting was held in the Literary Institute, on Thursday evening, to discuss the question of forming a company to commence the growth of linseed and tho manufacture of products from it. There was a largo attendance. Mr J. Johnston, Mayor, occupied the chair, and on the platform were Messrs Buss, Tribe, McGrath, Marshall, Hubbard, Bell, Blackett, Ohinnery, &o. The Chairman explained tho object of tho meeting. Ho stated it had been brought about in response to a request that action should be taken to establish a local industry in tho district. After mature deliberation it had been resolved to give the preference to that for the utilization of tho productions from linseed. The meeting, ho said, would bo addressed by Mr 0. F. Hubbard, C.E., who had in passtsaion a quantity of data on the matter, and by Mr Marshall, of tho Oust, who by practical experience had tested the growing of tho fibre, as well as the manufacture of it into twine. After tho information which these gentlemen could give had been stated, motions were intended to be submitted for the formation of a company under the Joint Stock Company’s Act, with limited liability of the shareholders. Mr C. F. Hubbard, after some preliminary remarks, went on to refer to the plan t,y which the quality of linseed was determined. The good seed was oval, plump, smooth, and light brown in color, with a sweet taste, slippery and crackled when put into water. Bad seed was flat, bitter, or rancid in taste, and wanting in color. The quality for sawing, nc directed by tho Board of Trustees of tho Fisheries and Manufactures of Scotland, should be smooth, slippery, bright, and plump, and so heavy as to sink in water. Tho weight of good seed was 801 b per bushel, tho average being about 60!b, though the weight greatly depended upon the class of land upon which it was produced. To obtaiu good seed for sowing meant procuring it from a different soil to that upon which it had been previously grown, and seed for sandy or peaty land ought to have been raised from stiff loam or clay. Colonial grown such varieties ought to possess constitutional powers equal to those imported, and the climate and soil wore adapted to its growth here. The crushing seed, or that suitable for the expression of oil, did not require to be so fine as that required for sowing. The first seed saved was the beat tor sowing. It might be saved by rippling without injury to the fibre, and a value of £4 to £5 an acre secured. The mode of saving seed was to let the crop stand till the straw was yellow and the seeds light brown. As soon as pulled the flax must be stroked so as to resist the weather, and in six or eight days stacked, the seed taken off in winter, and the seed steeped in the following November. To obtain seed for crushing the rippling would bo done in tho field by a machine consisting of a row of iron teeth screwed into a block of wood made of i inch iron, with tho angles next the ripples. A winnowing sheet would receive the grain. Tho balls would be passed through a fine riddle, and next fanned to take away tho chaff. In fine weather the bulbs might be dried in the open air, and after threshing tho best of it kept for sowing. The fixed oil of linseed, he went on to explain, was obtained by bruising tho seed and preserving it. The oil had a spec.fic gravity of 932 min, and so reluctantly soluble in alcohol that four ounces of the latter wore required to dissolve one of oil. He referred to the use of the oil as a veterinary medicine, and showed that the best oil was limpid pale and brilliant, sweet, and with very little smell, Tho value of oil cake was very considerable in stock feeding, and sheep and cattle during the winter might bo advantageously fatted upon it. In reference to two lots of sheep enclosed on separate lots of turnip land, one lot which had an allowance of about lib of c ike per diem in a period of sixty days, showed a return of cent, per cent, in advance on the sheep solely fed upon turnips. In another return Mr Hubbard showed the manorial value of tho droppings from sheep under tho respective kinds of feed, the result being greatly in favor of those fed on oil cake. A third experiment referred to showed » decided advantage in tho use of oil cake, and a sheep weighing 9st would effect a saving of 33 per cent, of turnips, if supplied with lib. of cake per day, as well as diminishing tho number of deaths. As the ash of linseed showed tho presence of a largo quantity of phosphoric acid, tho phospates left for tho benefit of corn crops, as well as the high value of the manure, were greatly in favor of the oil cake system of feeding for cattle as well as sheep. Ho next proceeded to combat the allegations made to the effect that linseed crops had a tendency to exhaust the soi', and stated decisively that this had been proved to be erroneous. The process of making oil cake was next dealt with, as well as a description given of the mochinery necessary for oil cake monufaoture. Ho then stated tho cost of mill and machinery for crushing 120qrs of seed per week would be £4140; the approximate working cost per day. £6B lls 4d ; the approximate earnings, £B6 5s ; leaving a profit of £l7 13s 8d a day, the price of oil cake being estimated at £2O per ton and the coat of oil 4s per gallon. In conclusion, he pointed out that at least 400 tons of twine would be wanted for the harvesters next harvest, to produce which 2000 acres of flax must bo grown, taking an average straw crop of 1£ tons per acre, yielding 280 lbs of fibre per ton

Mr Marshall, who had been engaged seventeen years at Gust in dealing with the flax, next addressed the meeting, presenting samples of flax in its native state, showing the straw and seed; a bank of dressed fibre, and a ball of binding twine, which contained 240 yards to the lb., and would resist a strain of 1C Dibs pre-sure. He spoke of the demand which would arise for this kind of harvesting twine in preference to all others; at least £-100 would be wanted to supply the market. The produce of this would require the growing of a crop covering 2000 acres, and the pulling of the crop alone might afford employment to 625 men for one month each, one taking an acre per week. The return of fibre from on acre was about 4001bs. Ho alluded to the value of the seed, the demand for oil, and ultimately the request which would be made for linen say to moke common webbing. In reply to Mr Luxton, he said the rotting system was not resorted to by him. His mode of dressing the fibre must be at present a secret, but he would, if the company was floated, be in a position to put it in posn SB on of it. The amount sent annually to England for linseed oil was, he believed, £BO,OOO. In reply to Mr A. Ellis, he said the quantity of seed to be sown per acre was from 60ibs to 901bs, as the nature of the land and the quantity of seed to be raised or fibre was required. If seed was wanted, then thin sowing ; and if fibre, thick sowing was followed. The straw might be kept in a dry place for ten years if required before it was used up. Ha kept his iu a large shed. The linnets were enemies to the seed. The land had to be hard, with free surface, for good crops. The time for sowing was up to October Isth. Ho had planted six acres this season. The fibre from one acre would yield £25 per ton, besides the seed ; the seed was worth 8s per bushel. In answer to Mr Ivory, he said the company at the mill would probably want from six to eight hands. Mr Hubbard pointed out that the 1 would be employed in getting the crop and scutching it, as well as, possibly, in the manufacture of linen.

Mr Ivory contended that what was wonted appeared to bo an industry which would employ the present surplus labour of tho district. It was with this view the provisional committee had been appointed.

Mr Hubbard hero made a favourable com parison between tho cost for growing an acre of flax and the return for tho same, showing a profit to tho grower, after sale, of 30s for tho fibre per acre, and twenty bushels of seed.

Mr Walker submitted that tho work of planting tho seed did not come in when there was the least work upon tho farm, aa during October and November were busy months for shearing, preparing for shows, and then hay harvest. While the cake was a useful food for cattle, it must bo sold very much under £2O per ton before it would bo used to any large extent. Aa the prospects of tho company seemed to be so good, perhaps they would take a piece of land and show how tho crop could be grown to advantage. Ho did not quite see that linseed growing was a profitable crop for tho soil, seeing that stringent conditions were imposed in the old country farm leases. As the price of beef and mutton was much cheaper here than in Great Britain, it was also clear that tho farmers here could not see that it would bo profitable to give extra feeding to stock of oil cake and patent foods. After some further discussion,

Mr H, Blackett moved—“ That this meeting is of opinion that the various industries connected with linseed are of sufficient

importance to the district to warrant tho formation of a company, with a capital of £30.000, in £3 shares, and pledgee itself to support it by taking shares and otherwise assisting to float it successfully,” As an importer of the oil, ho stated it cost from England at least 4o 2d per gallon, inclusive of a duty of Is 6d, which afforded the company a protective duty of 75 per cent, on tho prime cost in England of 2s per gallon. Ho contended that tho oil cake would sell at a price and ultimately also return a profit. The demand for oil in the country was practically unlimited for painting purposes, and he saw in this branch alone a prosperous future before the company, Mr Buss, who seconded tho motion, alluded to tho advantages ns indicated by tho speakers, who have brought their experience to boar on the question. Ho suggested the practicability of including linseed as one in the rotation of crops, and hoped the time was not far distant when a paying linen manufactory would bo established in the district, Tho motion was unanimously agreed to. Mr O. E. Tribe moved—“ That tho following be elected provisional directors, with power to issue prospectus, canvas for shares, and take the necessary steps to establish the company on a satisfactory basis, viz., Messrs Johnston, Blackett, Buss, McGrath, Chinnory, Seed, Bell, Walker, Anderson, Laxton, D’Auvorgno, Leech, Aherne, Mulcock, Chapman, Guild, Foster, Eord, Marshall, Cottle, Bamberger, Franz, Roberts, Fulton, Jennings, Ellis, Luxton, and Worry, with power to add to their number.” Mr P, McGrath briefly seconded tho motion, expressing tho hope that the company would be successfully floated, and bo productive of good results to tho district. [Oheorp.j The motion was unanimously carried.

Mr Aherne moved—" That the name of tho company shall bo the ‘ Rangiora Linseed Oilcake and Fibre Manufactory Company, Limited,’ ” wishing it every success. Mr Ohinnery seconded, and tho motion was agreed to. On the motion of Mr Blackett, seconded by Mr McGrath, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Hubbard and Mr Marshall. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated che meeting.