Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1892. Our Fibre.

Manawatu Herald, 5 March 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1892. Our Fibre.

Some months ago we pointed out the position that the New Zealand Hemp had taken in the Home market, shown by the small changes in its value compared to^ the other two fibres with which it was said it had to compete, viz., Manila and Sisal. It is gratifying ta find in the report of the N. 7i. Loan company a confirmation of our statements, as it is reported that though Manila fell £11 10s, and Sisal £7 10s a ton, N. Z. Hemp only fell £3 10s a ton. When we first started exporting largely, three years ago, we were bidden to expect a difierence of £10 a ton between our product and Manila. Though, at the highest prices for Manila (£37) and N. Z. Hemp (£2B) there is a difference of £14, yet when Manila fell very low our hemp kept up, and the difference in value of the two fibres was only £7. We think that this shows that our hemp is of a different value to Manila and that it is used for different purposes than Manila can be put to, suggesting again that very few really know to what purpose our hemp is used. The Loan company report that they consider prices have receded because of the enormously increased production of Manila and Sisal, which we read were so great as to cause a fall of £11 10s a ton. We are not acquainted with the cost of

preparation of these two fibres, but we are hardly prepared to believe that any industry can be earned on, permitting the lucky workers to clear mneh over £11 a ton profit. A drop of over £11 a ton in the sales, supposing there was still a profit left, would have the effect of reducing the output of these fibres, which would thus remove, one of the causes of the depression in the N. Z. Hemp trade. Another point worth noticing is, that the deliveries of our hemp have been in excess of the receipts by nearly 2000 tons, showing again that there are buyers for a great deal more than is "at present being prepared.

Under these circumstances we look very hopefully on the position of the trade, and trust that the millers will relax none of the care that they have been exercising for sometime in the preparation ot the fibre. We would have desired more information, which did the past and present governments value the trade at its real value, they could easily have obtained. The preparation of the flax for market absorbs such a large amount of unskilled labour, that every effort should be made to oreate the trade into a permanent industry. Without the fullest and most reliable information this will never.be secured, as over a very large district the raw material has been cut, and a great deal destroyed, and owners of large flax areas are very dubious about retaining the flax, which if not required for milling in the future, will cost more to clear and lay down in grass, than if at once fired after the cutters have been over it, and sheep appear a better speculation than flax, at present prices. Whilst governments are wondering whether it is worth their while to do anything to assist the industry, there stands a pretty good chance of the industry having been killed in the meanwhile, a repetition of the horse being starved whilst the feed is growing.