CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 3 November 1891, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

W« are not responsibe for the statements or opinions of correspondents. (TO THE EDITOR OF THE MANAWATU HKIULD.) Sin, — I notice it is stated in your valuable paper of 27th inst, that Mr Scales is the principal expert employed by buyers in passing the hemp. It might also have added that he is one, if not the largest buyer, and that he classes all the flax he buys, also, which no doubt explains the version of the dissatisfaction amongst the millers. Then finding that his surveys are being questioned and some quite unreliable, he sends a oiroular to millers stating that he cannot any longer continue to serve two '^^nasters, It will be noticed, by the way, Wihat he has taken three years to find it ' out, Then ho puts forward the absurd recommendation that millers should appoint one of themselves to class so that their sympathy would be all one side, but ho omits to mention what the buyers may say to this arrangement. Now it would be far more to Mr Scales' Credit if he retired altogether, from surveying an article he knows little or nothing about, and resumed his old business of tasting butter. He has now had quite tnough experience to know that a man to be a competent surveyor of flax requires to serve a long apprenticeship before he can call himself an expert in fibre, and it is a piece of presumption on his part to put himself forward as one. He also tries to father an old recommendation of mine, viz., that a bale should be kept as sample at beginning of a contract, whioh wou'd, he says, "save unpleasantness." It was I who recommended this to be done about two years ago, and there are a number of bales in the Harbour sheds at present that have been stored on my recommendation I should recommend in conclusion that instead of the millers paying 8s each per week towards keeping a man to look after their flax, they devote the sum towards buying a hayfork for the use of the so-called expert who now professes to sample flax, but in the opinion of the majority, who have seen him at work, he does not know yet how to handle hemp, or in \vhat way to open up a hank of flax. I should think it must nececssitate the employment of an extra hand at the Harbour Board sheds to straighten the hanks after the "inspection" so-called, before they are in anyway fit for re-baling. . Commending the foregoing to Mr Sca'es' and the flaxmiUers careful consideration I am, Ac, John L. Morrison. Wellington, October 30, 1891.