Flax Bonuses.

Manawatu Herald, 1 September 1894, Page 3

Flax Bonuses.

» - . Laßt year the Government determined.to offer a bonus of £1,750 for a maohine or process for dressing New Zealand hemp (Phormium tenax) which shall be an improvement on the machines or processes now in use, and which shall, after trial, be found to materially reduce the cost of production, improve the product, or increase the quantity of dressed fibre; All applications for the bonus had to be in by the 80th August of this year. We are glad to report that yesterday the entries closed with 25 applications. ' The judges, Messrs Gardner, Rutherford and the Inspector of Machinery commence their duties on Monday. Mr Rutherford is in Wellington „. and Mr Gardner leaves on Monday \* morning. The following is to be the basis of tbe test : — 'the committee shall supply a sufficient and equal quantity of green hemp to each machine or process as a test. The committee shall take into a consideration — The time occupied by eaoh machine or process in the operation ; The oost of labour and time required after the fibre has left the machine or process before it is ready for baling; The percentage of dressed fibre ajQd tow produced by each maohine fit process ; The cost of producing the same ; The oost of the machine, and the ' simplicity and durability of the working parts.

On completion of the tests the committee shall furnish a report to the Minister on all the machines or processes which they have examined, and shall state, — (1.) The machine or process which they consider on the whole the most efficient and economic. (2.) Whether they consider that any machine or prodess tested so materially reduces ihe cost of production, or improves the product, as to bo worthy of the whole bonus or of a part only. (8.) Whether, in the event ot no one machine or process being entitled to the whole bonus, they deem any machine or process worthy of a part of the bonus, and, if so, how much.