The Bonus for Improved Flax Machinery.

Manawatu Herald, 5 October 1893, Page 2

The Bonus for Improved Flax Machinery.

« (Special to Herald.) (By Telegraph.) Wellington, This day. The. vote of £2,000 for a bonus for improved flax machinery came up late l»»t night in the House of Representative*, when the Supplementary Estimates were on. Mr Wilson urged the' Minister to give the full bonus recommended by the Industries Committee, namely £4,000, and read an extract from a report of the Flaxmillers* Association meeting from the Manawato Herald asking that the bonus should be £5,000, so as to induce outsiders to compete for it, and was supported by Messrs. Duncan, Tanner, Meredith, E. M. Smith, Bruce, Buckland and others. Mr McKenzie said that if it was thought when the specifications were published that a good machine or process could be procured by offering a larger amount, the Government would not act in a stingy manner to the industry. . Mr Buckland raised the question of the Te Ore flax, which he said was so much superior to any other as far as fibre was concerned, and he asked the Minister to encourage the growth of this particular class of flax. Mr Wilson said that Mr Howell, of Paripari,' had drawn his attention to it, and had promised him some plants of this specimen, if the Government would undertake the cultivation, and that Mr Richie; of the Agricultural Department, had promised {to try it on the experimental farm at Wayer- • ley. Mr Earnshaw moved that the amount be struck off, but this met with snch general disapproval, that he did not call for a division. Another vote of £1,500 is also on to employ an expert to show the best means of working up the waste products of the industry. " , .■ i