Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEB. 24, 1894. The Flax Trade.

Manawatu Herald, 24 February 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEB. 24, 1894. The Flax Trade.

So much discussion is now going on about the correctness or otherwise of the figures quoted by the Premier in his speech here last week that we are disinclined at the present moment to add fuel to that fire. Mr Seddon paid us the compliment of coming to the " Flaxopolia " and had the courage to mention flax. The Premier has been credited with many virtues and much audachy, and what he said about flax was certainly a splendid instance oi his audacity. In a cheerlnl strain he remarked that when flax fetched £18 a ton business was hri^lt in Foxton and when the price was low, a depression was fplt. It was not m j cr>.ssory for the Pi'emior to have puG hitnaelt to the trouble of travelling seventy-five miles to tell us of what, we were perfectly aware of long proviou.-Uy. Perhaps, goodness only knows, Mr Seddon intended by these remarks to convey to his hearers that he at last had begun to appreciate the importance of an industry, which, through the in-diff-rence of himself and his Ministei'3 has very nearly been lost to the colony. Hard times are being felt, and the stoppage of an industry which brought in outside capital is helping to make these times harder still. The Premier having at last succeeded in becoming acquainted with the value of the industry desires now to pose as its most interested friend ! and acts in accordance with the Liberal Ministerial custom by placing a friend of the Party in a well-paid billet, presumably, as he desired his hearers to understand, to forward more particularly the flax industry. Government supporters can swallow almost anything when it is said by one of their side, but this most extraordinary posing of the Premier's is just a little too much even for them. Flax-millers and mill-hands are fully aware that more than two years ago this Liberal Government the elect of the people, were asked to do something to stimulate the invtntive genuis of colonists and others whereby machinery might be obtained to cheapen the dressing . oi, the fibre. Did they pay any attention to the request ? Of course not, acting for the poor man was not so much in their line as prating of the troubles that assailed them, and as our member was not of the " right colour " hia constituents could go to Hong Kong or elsewhere for all the Government cared. After very much trouble entailing a large amount of personal labour, Mr J. G. Wilson got the Government last session, halfheartedly, to agree to act according to the advice of the Parliamentary Committee, and offer a bonus (a very paltry one by the way considering the importance ot the industry) for improved machinery. Did this Government act promptly ? No, again no, but in their usual manner delayed doing anything, waiting to see in what way such a th'n.sr nvght bo turned to the advantage of their party. We all know that just recently conditions have been gazetted, and we now know that Mr Lee Smith is the fortunate man who is to receive a lengthy holiday through the States and Europe under the guise of increasing the receipts of the flaxmillers and the wages of their hands ! This is the way the " poor working man " is attended to by his representatives, and they are asked to h& pleased with it, in fact to bless the men that when asked for bread give thuro * atone* If aonw fieotom

i enjoy this treafcineflt lfc is their o.wn look out, but those who expecb bettor things it will be advisable for them to weigh most carefully the '.vords with tile ttotlohd of these ! pvalirtg dolMgogues. An ounce of practice would be worth a ton of precept, and it is most advisable that the suggestion thrown out by ' the Mayor should be seriously considered so that by some small bonus the millers might, during the winter, run their mills and thus relieve- theheavy strain promising, as likely to take place on the funds of all Charitable Aid Boards.