THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4950, 12 March 1926, Page 3

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

A BRIGHT FUTURE.

DEVELOPMENT IN THE DISTRICT. The future for the Plains and for Paeroa is becoming brighter every day, for, just as that famous plant breeder,. Luther Burbank, said that no one could estimate the possibilities of a wild plant until it had been brought into cultivation, Bo is it equally difficult to visualise the enormous possibilities of the Hauraki Plains, and .the resultant benefit to the neighbouring commercial centres- when the idle swamp lands are brought into cultivation with -the plant for which they are so eminently suited.

The value of the Hauraki Plains swamps: for phormium tenax growing has been realised by 'far seeing men for a long time, but it is only during the past twelve months that active steps have been taken to exploit this vast national asset. V Following on the in this district of Mr George Smerle, one of the recognized authorities' bn flax growing" and fibre production, a long series of articles appeared in this papers and they were reprinted in other newspapers ,and the information quoted at length in Parliament, so that the district was given a big boost. About the same time the many articles by Mr Smerle and other authorities on flax in the Wellington papers brought the subject* prominently before financiers and genera, public alike, so that the industry began to boom, and numerous companies- were formed for the planting and milling of flax. Private enterprise also became interested, .and during the past year or so three flaxmills- have been established on .the Plains, and a. private syndicate ha.s made preparation -ter the erection of f another mill. • About a year ago, a company was floated to cultivate and mill flax. in the upper reaches eff -the Plains near Morrinsville, and this month the prospectus has been issued for a company with a. capital, of £loo,o'oo to acquire the freehold of a.n area of 1956 acres o-f firist-class flax-growing land’ in the Awaiti, about four miles from Paero.a. .

The blocks of land proposed .to be acquired are the following.Te Awai.ti numbers : IA, 2A No. 1, 1.A28 Noi. 1, 1A282A, 1A2828, 1A2838, 1J282A, 1J2828, and IJ2B No. 3, and are situated isolith of the Awaiti West road, and west of Mr Wynya,rd’s flax land and the Awaiti canal.

Between five a.nd six hundred acres of the swamp is now bearing a very heavy crop of young flax and should yield nearly enough plan.tsi to plant out the whole area. When in full operation the mill will contain syc strippers; and will, be" worked continuously to derive the benefits of cheap.ele'ctric power Some -hundreds of men will be employed.