THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 10 January 1890, Page 2

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Government h&Vtr received another coon munication from the Agent-General with reference to the flax indtfctoy, Sir F. D. Bell states that since he last mote he has had a letter from Governor Sir' Ambrose Shea respecting the sisal fibre no"vr being . produced i*4he Bahamas, with aha ok of the fibre and part of the leaf attacked. Rowing the amount of fibre in a single leaf, ftQ( * His Excellency informed him (*fe' Agl* nt -tteneral) that his most sanguine • antic/pWtk)^ 8 were being realised. The Agent-Geiier»» N l goltaon to say that the fibre seemed to him l^ofeply ef excellent quality, bnt capable of beifl^easily dressed, and henaked Sir AmWosc $hea ttf send him somelwWßt dressed and undressed, so that they might b» sent out to the Nsw Zealand Gorvevnment. /iiaal of the same kind, which has lately been* cent over from Vera Cruz, has given great satisfaction to manofsetures who have used it. Sir Francis gees on to ti&j i — " Enoloaed are extracts of a further letter from* Messrs. Boiunson, Fleming & Co., forwant/ng three samples of cordage made from New Zealand hevnp in America, which lam sending on to/ You will see how the trade is developing nC*, the hemp being extensively used in ihe States for eovdage purposes as distinct ti'.ova binder twirle. Merchants here are anJ*i& us to get regular and authentic information of the actual shipments made of the hentp fro™ New Zealand to (u) England (b) the O.mted JHfiies, «nd (r) any other country. If . vou could" llSte ibifs p*ut into & tabulated foh™ and sent to nw bf eaeh mail it would be 01 great value. A large t^^ of the increased importation during the- year to this country represents orders for transbinipent to Amei'fcn» where the consumptiou is clearly increasing much beyond what was expected by the trade a /«w months ago. It i» »»P~ | posed now that 15.000 tons will be sxported from New 'Zealand this year, and tho prospect of such a sudden augmentation of estimated supplies, and to which very imperfect details are known here beforehand, makes it very essential that there should be some authentic and regular information available to keep the market steady." The extract from Messrs Robinson, Fleming & Co's letter, referred to by the Agent-Gene-ralf is as follows; "The consumption in America is no doubt steadily increasing beyond what we imagined would be the case, especially for cordage purposes (aa distinct from twinej, but, on the other hand, the supply will, we think, prove far larger than we expected, or estimated by you in your last letter to us. We think fully 15,000 tons will be exported from NewZealand this year. By post we have the pleasure to send you three samples at New Zealand flax cordage, which we have obtained from America as we promised — viz, lath yarn, 3-16ths rope, 13-6ths rope.. Our friends express regret that they 'vere not able to obtain any sample of twine. ' We consider the 3-16ths rope as a most successful specimen of cordage, and looks as smooth as the best Manilla cordage,, but then it has not equal strength to the latter." The \gent-General also forwards a copy of a 1 tter which he sent $o the United States Government requesting them, to furnish him with copies of a report of an investigation which they Oftused to be made regarding the varioua fibres used for . manufacturing purposes.