THE FLAX INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1930, Page 7

THE FLAX INDUSTRY

DIFFICULTIES OF MILLERS

A comprehensive review’ of the flax industry in New Zealand and an outline of some of the reasons why it is suggested that the Government should stabilise tho industry were given by the president of the Northern Flaxmillers’ Association, Mr E. H. Broad, at a meeting of the association held in Auckland on Friday last. It was stated that practically all the mills were dosed at present, and would remain so until the market rates improved or some other means were devised to save the industry. Some concern is felt by members that the enforced closure of the mills will mean a severe setback to the excellent market that was being built up for the New Zealand commodity.

The flax plant, Air Broad said, was indigenous to New Zealand and was capable of incalculable improvement by selection and breeding. Hitherto it had milled while growing wild, and it could be demonstrated that milling from plantation flax could be done more cheaply. The .Scientific and Industrial Research Department was endeavouring to discover a process of artificial bleaching and drying in order to cut out cumbersome processes and eliminate wasteful costs. That was the first occasion the industry had received any help from the Government, and it would be a pity if this work was stopped. Tho Department of Agriculture controlled the grading of hemp before shipment with a chief hemp grader and five or six other graders, ancf, in addition, retained two men to coach the millers to make better hemp, Better and more uniform hemp was leaving Now Zealand than ever before, The Imperial Institute had proved after exhaustive salt-water tests that New Zealand flax was superior to both Manilla and Sisal. Large areas of Crown lands would grow nothing else, and about a thousand acres had been planted ou the Hauraki Plains. The Forestry Department had also areas of flax planted near Waiouru and Fox ton.

Competing fibres made by black labour in Java, Africa, the Philippine Islands, and Mexico came into New Zealand free. Tiny were more expensive, but could be competed with in quality immodiataly the plantation flax was grown and research revealed a way to bleach the fibre to a desired whiteness. New Zealand fibre was used for binder twine, ropes and small cordage, and would be much more extensively used if more could he produced and costs reduced. In the New Zealand flax industry there was the foundation of a sound business, capable of yearly extension, not at the expense of other Empire products, but at the expense of countries outside of the Empire producing hemp by black labour.

The production of fibre had steadily declined, ns the figures of the exports from New Zealand over the last thirty-two years would show:— Year, Tons £ 1897 2,709 30,074 1907 28,547 832,088 1917 23,510 1,197,390 1927 10,189 473,221 1929 13,252 337,968 Apart from the business being unprofitable, leaf supplies had dwindled. The latter difficulty had been overcome by 'the growing of the plants from seed. Plantations were now being laid down, and the industry was well on the way through the transition stage. Cost of production had been increased during the past three years, both Government and local body taxes rising, while accident insurance was increased through an alteration in the law. These extra costs lmd to be faced on a falling market, and the miller could not in any way pass the burdens on. He depended entirely op the world’s parity for the price of his hemp, and the world’s parity of costs was indisputably lowor than costs in New Zealand.