NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 804, 14 July 1870, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

[to the editor of the lyttelton times.] Sib, —Seeing in the last Home News an article headed "New Zealand Flax is in the shade," and that ropemakers say it is not adapted for maritime purposes, I ask tor space in your journal to give my experience of it.

I spent some years at sea, and from having seen it used continually then, and since in vessels of my own, I can say that rope made of clean New Zealand flax is, for running gear, nearly, if not quite, equal to Manilla. It wears soft, stands the water, and is very durable, especially if tarred, which it readily takes. The greatest objection X think which can be raised against it, is that it stretches more than Manilla. I remember when whaling was carried on more extensively than now, that New Zealand whale lines were very much used. This is sufficient to prove the quality of the materia], as none but Me best are lit for the purpose,

i noticed some time since that the English rope-makers had attempted to mix it with Manilla hemp. If that is the test of its utility I think it a bad one, as it is a well known fact that the New Zealand stretches more than the Manilla, therelore the two cannot go together, as the latter have ali the strain; it must be made up alone,

% <Xg not fear for the jjltimate yjal&e of New Zealand flax. It only time to prove its efficiency as a rope-making material; besides, #bere are many other purposes for which it can be used, lor instance, wpo/l bale?, corn-sacks and paper. Why cannot these articles be manufactured in the colony? Surely the saving ot freight to England jipon the raw material, and the same @ijt again upon the manufactured article, to say nothing of the import ( duty, Vould be a large margin in favor of the colonial manufactures, and would far more than compensate for the exira wages, which would be paid in the province. The demand for the above articles would be always on the increase, as year by year we hope to produce more and more to fill the bales and bags. Your obedient servant, J. T. Peacock. [TO THE EDITOR OE THE -WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT.] Sir, —Perhaps some of your readers may be interested in the following Statement recently made to me by the late captain of the Southern Cross, Ido not know his name. T was in the frain with him en route from Lyttelton to Christchurch, when, the conversation turning on flax, he said tfrat in the year 1867 (I think I state the year correctly) when in command of the Southern Cros-. he had a new main brace made of New Zealand flax, supplied at Auckland. That during the manufacture of the rope a small quantity of tar had been worked up with it, "but only sufficient to slightly discolor it. That that brace lasted him fpr the voyage to England, for a succeeding voyage to Melbourne, and for about half the voyage back again to England, and that he considered the rope to have lasted as well as one made of Manilla flax would have •done. The above fact 1 think speaks for itself as to the value ol New Zealand flax, if properly manufactured for riming gear; for its use as a main "brace must have subjected it to great an 4 continuous strain in trying alternations of wet aiid dry weather. At the same time the master of another vessel then in Pore Lyttelton, and who was present, stated that when on a voyage home and a tug steamer approached him (I think lie laid in the mouth of the Thames) to take him in tow, he asked the master qf the steamer what the hawser was made of. The reply was that it was of the best kind, New Zealand fla*. —I am, &c., W, R. E, Brow,

The Southern Cross, July 7, says : ■—"Yesterday, three tons of flax brought into Auckland from the Mauku, by Mr Kavanagh, were sold $o a merchant in town for £24 10s per ton. This would tend to show thai there is again a growing confidence in the market; and we can only re-assert thatforproperly dressed flax a reinuneiative price can always Ipe secured." The Canterbury Press says:—lt has been reported during the last few days that the ropes of the s.s. Taranaki when she was submerged were made of New Zealand flax. "We find, on enquiry, that such is not the case. Our Wellington correspondent informs us that sailmaker and the Keeovery Company think there was no New Zealand rope on the Taranaki when she sunk All the rope on deck was Manilla and European, and was completely destroyed. A Manilla hawser in the hold where the worm did not go was however, sound, and was used to tow her across to Wellington. The Wariganui Herald, says:— We inspected, to-day, at Mr Duthie's store, Taupo Quay, two coils of rope manufactured from New Zealand jjiax, by Messrs Bees & Gibson, at iheir mill in the Rangitikei district, '[fhe rope will bear favorable com pari'on with Manilla, and is clean and strong in appearance. Captains Kowerday and Low have expressed a satisfactory opinion, of its utility ipr nautical purposes, and their judgment as men of experience is of course Valuable. We sincerely hope that |he new manufacture will attain the Success, it merits.