FLAX INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1927, Page 1

FLAX INDUSTRY

PALMERSTOX X.. July 22. The annual meeting of the Xew Zealand Flaxmn'lers’ Association was held to-dav. Mr H. A. Sierfert. vice-presi-dent, presiding. The annual report stated that the quality-of this year’s production graded a little below the average of the previous year’s. Most millers were of opinion that this was due to a hardening of the grading standard, and not to any extent due to carelessness in

handling or poorer quality of the leaf. The small premium offered for the better grades during the hitter half ol the year especiai'ly did not encourage the millers to go to much expense in pursuit of extra quality. Prices throughout the year had been steady but not high. The winter price of 192 G was the best received during the winter for several years past. This was rather strange., for one expected the great coal strike to have lowered the market. Toe summer price last season was not as good as usual. During tlm past year further flax planting companies had been formed. mainly in the Auckland province. Xever before bad the industry been so much in the public eye. Ibe methods bad also undergone some change. Perhaps of greatest importance was (lie abandonment of side lea! cutting and the reversion to book cutting by three of the largest firms that bad adopted side leaf rutting. Many experiments bad been <■ a tried out with washing the fibre and also with artificial bleaching and air drying. The scutching process rocoived some attention. Another movement of <onsiderahie importance was the effort that had been manifested at several' mills to class the fibre before hailing. A> regarded, the future of the industry, prices could not he expected to ho greatly improved. The output probably would be a little lower than last year owing to the abandonment of side leaf cutting and the closure of the marginal mills. These are iniliV which run upon scattered areas of flax "ben conditions are favourable to the industry. About IG.oOO tons will probably be jbe output, for the coming year, and the quality should lie about putl to that of last year. Flax plantmg is expected to exceed all previous records, as probably from AGO to I'Mi) acre> will be planted in the coming year. At the same time for the ii '-xt five, six or eight years natural Hex '''ill supply almost the whole of the output. Iwo problems of outstanding importance' and worthy of investigation ore the artificial bleaching and drying and the development of additional uses ter the fibre, textile and paper mnnub" turn offer splendid possibilities in view of the increasing production. If these could he developed satisfaetorilv '•ben the industry should develop beyond anything visualised at presold.