N. Z. HEMP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue II, 29 November 1889, Page 2

N. Z. HEMP.

I The following letter has been received i from the Ag3nt General and notwithatandJ ing hig remark that he is " almost ashamed I to go on repeatiug the same thing over and ij over again" it will be noticed that fortunately for us, it is not the same thing,- but something more business like and more to the purpose, that he furnishes this time ;— Westminster Chambers, | IH, Victoria street. London, 5. W., ; ' I ' 4th Ocober" 18&». j Sn',— Further inquiries since I last, wrote ■ahotii, New Zealand hemp (20th September, -*j rt 1191) only confirm the general tenor of t lie reports I have been sending to yoy si' ice April. In reply to a letter from me about the 'fi-igsgement of an expert, and the uses ta which the hemp i put, Messrs. Robinson, Fleming, and Co write to me as follows :— " Such information would have to be derived from the ropemakers themselves, and they are bo numerous and scattered all over Europe that it would not be practicable to get it from them. But looking at the matter from a practical mercantile point of viaw, we should say that samples will not be much of a guide to you. We do not t^ink that any expert could give information so useful for the purpose you have in view as we ourselves oan give ; we consider ourselves experts in the widest ponse of ths term. As we mentioned previously, comparatively a small proportion of this year's production will bo used in Europe, the bulk being i-sed in- America. In Europe, chiefly in the United .Kingdom the best ('good Auckland') is no doubt used for mixing with manilla to cheapen the product, and ho are the best Wellington kinds ; both these kind? are also used with manila for making binder twine in the proportion of half and half ; but this trade is at present very small. The 'fair Wellington kinds are used, when price ist cheap enough, for (1) cordage of pure New Zealand ; (2) occasionally mixed .with manila; (3) box cord; (4) twine for tying the vines in Spain and the South of France ; (5) making what fire technically called 'hearts' for wire nd other ropes; and the very common kinds also come in for the latter purpose, and for a cheap common cordage. These are the European uses. Fo America, nearly all is used in mixing with manilla for binder-twine, we should think in the proportion of abont half and half. We have sold a tew hundred tons to America for cheap cordage purposes also. To sum up, you will easily gather that its entire uses in America or Europe are either for twine or cordage, and when used as a fixture it is always with manilla. ...... . We have written to our friends in America telling them what information you want, and and asking them to supply us «sth it, and with samples, and on hearing from them vre shall write to you again. These statements will probably make it clear to growers in the Colony thit the bulk of the hemp is -really used only for cordage and binder twine, and wi'l help to dispel the idea which so many people (myself ain.ong the number) were tempted to take up at first, /hat there were some secret uses for the hemp. Xor can there be any doubt that the better it is known the more it is getting to be liked, if only it could be sent Home properly dressed. The same firm from whose letters 1 have given you an extract, assure me that if the uolonists would only devote their »itiontion to sending Home well cleaned hemp it would tend to popularise the fibro more than anything all the world over; and that n England especially the demand for it would steadily increase. There is, in fact, lb longer any doubt of this. It is' the jersistent shipment: of illdressed stuff . that loes harm. Large quantities of recent ihipment , which have evidehtly been prejared in new milk, have been examined by he chief buyers in this market with epeoial :are ; and while it has - been abundantly ilear how good an article can be sent, the ;reat proportin of the shipments shows uch inferior preparation that many of the onsumers will have nothicfg to do with it. am almost ashamed to have to go on relating the" tame thing over and over gain ;yet the more the trade expands the sore necessary it seems to insist upon the riming. v lam engaged in enquiries about the lachinery, about which I shall address yw iter on i k 1 *"*«!*..* *».«*,.