The Flax Expert.

Manawatu Herald, 22 December 1896, Page 3

The Flax Expert.

' Mr Stevens, M.H.R., interviewed the Hon. the Minister of Agrioalture respecting the required assistance by the. flaxmill ownew and others for the purpose of enabling an expert to be sent out to other part 3of the world, there to obtain the best and most reliable information as to how this product may be disposed of to better and greater advantage than that which now obtains. Mr Stevens pointed out that some means should be devised for the purpose of enabling the producers to dispose of their fibre, without being - compelled to deal through the exist* fog channels both in and out of the Colony, which past experience shows has been to the great detriment of those who have struggled hard to keep this industry alive, and that he believed tho millers were now using their best efforts for the purposa of producing good uniform and marketable samples- Such being the case he trusted that the Government would for many and obvious reasons set the great necessity which exists for granting a subsidy for this very necessitous and reasonable purpose. The Minister in reply said : — That the Government were impressed with the great advantage which the Colony would derive from this in duitry, providing that it could be profitably carried on, but expressed . ft strong belief in the necessity of producing good white and sound fibre, as there were now many other fibres in the world produoed at a oheap rate which came into direct competition with New Zealand Flax, and it resolved itself into a question _jQf being able to oompete successfully, Tx>th in quality and price, but as the fullest possible information upon the subject was highly desirable the Government were prepared to grant the promised subsidy for the purpose of enabling such enquiries to be mads so soon as the associative millers and their friends intimated that they were ready to carry out the projected scheme of making the necessary enquiries in other countries. Mr Stevens also brought under the Ministgtf? notice the fact that •Xpert litter graders and cheese tetters were employed under the tnspioM of the Government, and contended therefore that flax graders should be appointed under Govern xnent, in order that neither the producer or the purchaser should be concerned in the question of valuing, but that an impartial expert should assess the quality of the article-to be plaCed upon the markets of the world. The Minister, in reply, said that if the increased volume of trade to be done would in the future warrant •uoh a, step being taken he would five the matter his earnest and best eonsidentioq.