NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 199, 16 October 1869, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Mr. Dodson has handed us the following s report of Flax sales in England, with a j request for its publication. We need not { say we have the greatest pleasure in doing \. so, and shall from time to time continue to give any information likely to be of service to the manu acturer. Mr. Dodson/ at the same time shewed us a splendid/ sample of flax, valued at £7O per which has been prepared by some chemical process respecting which we are promised further particulars. The sample is soft and glossy like silk. London July 14:—The following parcels have lately come to hand, and have mostly been sold as under :—Excelsior, 76 bales : first quality sold at £35 to £3B per ton, second quality at £26 Iss, tow at £ll 15s, 47 bales were not sold. Hydaspes, 41 bales, no report. Siam, 1081 bales: about half of first quality sold at £3B to £4O ss, second quality at £32 to £36. Queen Bee, 219 bales: first quality sold at £36 to £39 15s, second quality at £3O lOs to £34, tow at £6 5s to £l3 15s. Countess of Kintore, 512 bales: first quality sold at £35 to £4O 10s, second quality at £26 5s to £3O 10s. Mermaid. 99 hales, not offered for sale, in all, 2,105 bales, and 220 bales were advertised for sale on the 14th July. We enclose the circulars which we now write regularly for the Australian and New Zealand mail, which will give you further information as to quality, &c. We feel very strongly that a large business will be opened in this article, but shippers must be careful to send well dressed uniform quality, and it is very important that supplies should be regular, so that our spinners may know that they may count upon material to work upon when they have adapted their machinery. The great opening for this flax is to compete with Manilla hemp, which realises £SO per ton for fair quality, and we see no reason why this end should not be attained if our suggestions are acted upon. It is impor- . tant that the strength of the fibre should be preserved as much as possible, and if the desired end can be attained without chemical aid, it would be better, as the 1 fibre is rendered soft and spongy by soak- \ ing in some strong solution. To sum up \ we recommend the shipment of the best dressed quality, or else of perfectly undressed (or straw) which can be dressed here far better than abroad, and contains splendid fibre of great strength and silky appearance. We would discountenance the shipment of tow, unless it can be produced at a price costing under £l3 We sold some, large quantity, per Queen Bee, j at £lO, some as low as £6 ss, and some / fine at £l3 Iss. Part of the Siam’s cargo I was imported by Frost Brothers, the rope- ' makers, direct, which we do not think has come on to the market at all. The packages of our parcel per Queen Bee were excellent, and we could not recommend a better plan. The flax was lightly twisted into hanks, and made into bales, and pressed. Any other information we can supply we shall be most happy to send you, if you will not scruple to write and ask us. We cannot trace the sale of the ■ 47 bales per Excelsior, or lot per Hydaspes, / but have no doubt they were sold privately on the same terras as reported for the other lots.