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Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1927, Page 2

There need be no apology for referring again to flax growing in this territory. seeing that it is one of the best propositions immediately in sight. Indeed for the reason just given, and the fact that there is a dullness in the public interest affecting the matter, there appears to be special reasons why

the desirability for llax growing should he emphasised more and more till finally taken up as enthusiastically as it should he. not only here, hut also up and down the Dominion. Other places are moving, and as WestlamT has the land and the general conditions suitable, a golden opportunity to profit from a production greatly in demand, will be lost if flax-growing is not an important adjunction to the production of the district in the early future. The prospects for the industry are entirely encouraging. At a meeting held in Auckland, a few days ago attended by representatives from various flax planting companies, il was decided to form a Dominion Flax Planters’ federation. It was stated at the. meeting that tlie world-wido demand for Now Zealand Flax fibre was so great that it was Impossible for tlio Dominion to over-pro-duce. It was claimed that New Zealand llax was the most valuable fibre plant in the world. An astonishing average l of from 12 to 15 per cent, of marketing fibre was produced from the milling of the leaf. This was in its wild, uncultivated state, whereas the averages of other commercial fibre plants under cultivation were said to be considerably lower. In view of this, it was considered extraordinary that, up to recent years, no attempt had been made to treat the plant systematically as a farm crop. With cultivation of the licttcr varieties, it was believed, the industry could be expected to become phenomenally profitabo. It was stated by the chairman that about 1500 acres had been systematically planted in flax during the past two years, and (he area would bo more than doubled during the next twelve months. Although the plantations had not yet reached maturity, there was sufficient information to indicate definitely that the yields would ho nii/oh greater. New Zealand flax was being systematically planted in Argentina, and the annual yield of green leaf there worked out at an average of 31 tons an acre, and approximately one ton of fibre was obtained from six tons of green leaf. New Zealand flax fibre bad no equal as a binder twine, and one of the largest American firms has stated that it alone could absorb much more than the wh''lo of the present quantity available, The lower grade fibre is used for ropes and cordage, and makes one of the strongest brown papers procurable. In. Westland there are great tracts of country suitable for flax-grow-ing. Much of it is Crown lands. There are also large areas of suitable .swamphind held bv private owners which ordinarily produce very little even in the way of rough feed for stock. A review of the position in Westland would bo well worth while with a view to educating the people in regard to the proposition of opening up to them by the establishment of the flax growing industry on well defined linos.