Flax.

Manawatu Herald, 19 September 1896, Page 3

Flax.

Mr J. G. Wilson asked the Minister for Agriculture in the House yesterday " If hi 3 attention has been called to a report of a publio meeting, reported in the Manawatu Herald of the 12th instant, at which a series of resolutions were passed urging the Government to send an expert ' fully accredited by the Government to at once visit the principal centres of industry throughout the world ' to develope the hemp industry ? If so, will he reconsider the decision he has already come to, and agree to the request of the meeting ?" In asking this question Mr J. G. WUwn quoted from the report of the meeting to show that~in 1891 there were 8204 men and boys employed in the 117 mills running, and that the export of fibre amounted to £888,000, where, as last year only 1806 tons were exported, valued at 421,000. He urged the Minister (hat as the industry absorbed so much labour, to agree to the request of the meeting. The Minister, in his reply, said as far as he could see the fault was that we could not turn out the flax cheap enough to compete with the other fibres, and he was carefully considering the matter. He would, however have to consult with his colleagues on the subject, and would do so at the next meeting of the Cabinet, and would inform Mr Wilson of the decision of the Ministry.