Hauraki Flax Growers and Hemp Producers Ltd.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5406, 3 April 1929, Page 3

Hauraki Flax Growers and Hemp Producers Ltd.

AN ENTERPRISING UNDERTAKING. The above Compaiiv, which has secured approximately three thousand acres of land in cjosq proximity to the town ’of paeroa, has built up an active organisation for the purpose of bringing into being the company’s policy of developing the area to its fullest extent—from the growing, of flax to the manufacture of the fin- < ished article in the form of .rope, twine* etc. suitable LAND. ■ The first essential to the fulfilment of this policy is the adequate supply ■ of green leaf of good quality at rea-. sonable cost; and to ensure this the land has. to be suitable to the growth of flax, and the price! paid for the Land that will avoid the fatal error of over-capitalisation, in this respect the Hr-uraki Company has ■ been singularly fortunate : their property will bear the closest inspection of the; most critical investigator, The ,<j. land lies about four miles south-wqst W' from the pateroa railway station, and is bounded on the east by the Wai.hou r River ; it extends north-west towards the Piako River,, and through the centre the Public Works Department has constructed its main canal. The ’ eastern boundary adjoins dairy farms regarded by experts as some of. the most fertile and valuable in the Dominion. Its location and natural ■ / boundaries, whilst protecting it frQjm, and keeping it free of, drainage from outside and adjoining areas, leaves it easy to subject to the periodically flooding,® that practical experience has .taught is so' necessary to keep in check .the pests and grubs, and) to in-, crease the quality and gro.wth of the crop. , CARE IN SELECTING PLANTS. Flax, ’although indigenous to New Zealand, can only be on a successful commercial basis on fertile swdmp land such as that held by this company. The next feature is to plant the land with only suitable varieties of flax. There are about forty known varieties, ranging in flbrq content fiom seven to ten torn? of green leaf to the ton of. fibre. The Hauraki Com,L..pany has established a nursery, and by a process of careful selection has cultivated plants from seed only of varieties of proved fibre content. Ain inspection o,f the nursery proved the P plants to be true to label, healthy in ■ condition, and in a state of. vigorous growth. S<me millions are now ready for. transplanting. MODERN METHODS APPLIED. This application of m'Od’Qrn. methods • is a new departure in flaxmilling. The ; ’ old method of taking the natural growth of mixed varieties and! cutting in a face irrespective of the age or length of blades, goes by the board), and is replaced bv the scientific L method of well-ordered husbandry. F Andi by the adoption of the, side leaf method of cutting, taking, annually only these blades of 'mature age and regular length, and of. a proved! fibre jp content, and high resistance to bligjit, j v the company is assured off a regular amj adequate supply of raw material of the highest quality at the; lowest cost. t FLAXMILLING MACHINERY. The n.Qxt step is to produce; from the assured supply of. green leaf a regular quality of hemp. The company has secured. and. will shortly start- erecting, up-to-date, machinery for this purpose, some of it givliig inK creased efficiency both in quality and ’ in labour-saving that has never before be£n used in New Zealand, and of which the company lias, the .sole rights. ROPE AND TWINE. MANUFACTURE-, By manufacturing into rope and twinei its town hemp the company will completely eliminate the middleman. - It wil.l be in the unique position of being the only rope and twinq manufactory ip the Southern. Hemisphere which has developed the industry in its entirety, and the. 0 ;ily pttie which will not have to go on to the market < . in open competition for hemp. By owning its own land! it eliminates the need for entering into leases and agreements for a supply of gyeen leaf, all of which rise and! fall with London markets, leaving indefinite the supply and cost of supply of the leaf. Being its own consumer, it. is assured of a regular market, and is unaffected by the hemp market fluctuations. On thq other hand, manufacturing ■ its own hemp, its r «p.e and twine department has an advantag - ? over similar manufacturers, inasmuch as, that the department is not only assured of n regular supply of specially prepared I,ut it; ’ s assured of that supply nt a price at all timep unaffected by the fluctuations Of the open market.

By both hemp and twine production being carried on as a joint operation great savings are effected in cartage, f reights, insurances, and in the profits of the. merchant who buys from the miller and sells to the twine manufacturer. This gives the company an advantage over any similar works in Australia and New Zealand. STABLE MARKETS. With the rapid increase in population in New Zealand and its neighbouring States, all of which are graingrowing countries, and the many new uses that New Zealand fibre is being put to, a good and stable market awaits the effort of this enterprising company. NEW USES. Prospects and Developments.—Attractive as the industry undoubtedly is at present, basing the prospects of cultivated flax being used solely for it3f present admirable purposes of binder twine, ropes and cerdage, etc., it is in an entirely new> direction, or, rather, several entirely new directions, that a substantial promise occurs fbr a very much greater return on invested capital than has hitherto been thought possible Research work carried out during recent years has proved that the new possible uses for fibre qmbia.ee wool. pack and corn sacks, coarse and fine textiles, artificial silk, and paper, whilst the possibilities of the by-products hold out even still greatep promise. INTEREST TO PAEIRiOA. Undoubtedly the citizens of Paeroa will watch with interest the progress of this gigantic undertaking. It will, be obvious to them that t'heir destiny, and the destiny of. their town, is linked up with the company. With an influx of an additional six hundred producers, many of whom will have de-, pendants and all of whom will have steady employment, the town should experience a boom. Local spending will increase, local consumption will increase, trade and business Will improve, the demand for houses, will appreciate land values, public services, which only come in answer to demand, will improve. The introduction of so much capital into the industrial life of Paeroa,, and the increase in the output and population, will provide the greatest urge for the speedy development of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. It is because;, of the above favourable influences that the operations of the Hauraki flax-gi-owers will have on the town that the company insists that the citizens should! whole-heartedly support it both inoirally and financially. By giving the undertaking the support it merits, and deserves, the citizens who know the property and its value as a flax-farming proposition will give an added confidence to those investors in other parts of New Zear lanfl, who will be invited to subscribe SCRUTINY INVITED. ' The Hauraki Flax Growers ahdi Hemp Producers, are inviting the pubn lie to take up the shares that are now being offered the(m, and intending investors are welcomed the closest .scrutiny of the company’s property, its policy, anfl. its programme. A branch office -has been; established, at Paeroa, and representatives of the company will at all times be pleased to ceindiuct prospective investors over the property and explain in detail its policy. ; ■