NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 185, 24 July 1869, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Wb have been favored by Messrs. Krull & Co with the following report upon the phormivm tenax, extracted from Devitt and Hett’s monthly circular :—Shippers have at last summoned up to send home parcels of a suffic’ent size to attract the attention of buyers, 1400 bales having arrived during the last week or two. Of these 600 bales have been offered at auction; and about one third sold, viz.: Ist quality, dressed, £37 to £3B 10s: 2nd quality, only part sold, at £35; the rough undressed- is very little, sought after at £24* to £27. In making further shipments of this article we would recommend a regular supply of well dressed ; the partially dressed is very objectionable to the trade- We would rather see it sent home in the straw without any expense incurred in the colopyv;' We regret to observe in the parcels just to hand that the naturally strong fibre has been much weakened in

the dressing, this should carefully be avoided as the great end to be obtained is a successful competition with Manilla hemp which realises £4B per ton.—lndependent. The Post says: —Flax-dressing seems to be gradually becoming a productive industry of great importance. All over the Colony public attention is being directed to it. Messrs. Mills & Co., who have manufactured the largest portion of the machines that have been used, are continually receiving inquiries about them, and have at present no fewer than eight on hand. These are for Wainui-o-Mata, Wairarapa, Blenheim, Manawatu and Turakina, Wanganui, Napier, &c. They are double machines, improved upon Price’s, and fitted with brass bearings. They are capable of turning out 2-J- tons of dressed flax in a week, and can be worked by steam, water, or horse power. In every place where flax-dressing has as yet been fairly tried, it has proved a great success, and we have little doubt that eventually its preparation and manufacture will prove one of the most important industries of the Colony. [We are informed that the price of these machines is £4O.—Ed.M.E.]