The Flax Commissioner.

Manawatu Herald, 26 February 1898, Page 2

The Flax Commissioner.

Mr "John Holmes, the colony's flax commissioner, has not been letting the grass or perhaps I should say the hemp, grow under his feet, fioce hi? arrival here. In addition to proclaiming the virtues of Phor-* mium tenax in several of the London papers, he has been interviewing a large number of brokers and merchants in the hemp trade. He found some of them dubious about taking the New Zealand article, on the grounds that they couldn't rely on getting a standard quality, and that the style of packing and grading varied. He informs me that he has cleared up a good deal of misunderstanding on these and other .points, such as the size of hank?, and believes that his visit has led to an increased demand for the fibre, several large orders having been cabled to the colony for the execution there at higher prices than have been recently attained. He is realising that what New Zealand must do is not to endeavour to compel the English buyers to take the goods as they are made in the colony, but to discover what is wanted in the English market, -and endeavour to meet its requisite?. With this aim in view he has been letting those interested in the hemp industry know that the variations complained of are being constantly minimised, and that he hope 3 that a uniform system of treating and packing the fibre will Bhortly be adopted in New Zealand which should overcome all prejudices. Mr Holmes has also been inspecting several rope manufacturing works where the rival fibres, sisal and rhea, are treated. Mr Holmes informs me that he had a long talk with Dr Qomess, who has had large experience in the treatment of rhea fibre, and that the latter admitted that his experiments in tne past on the New Zealand fibre has been based on a wrong conception of its red nature. Over the samples of hemp dressed by the Maoris with the pawa shell Dr Gomsss became enthusiastic and expressed his belief that he could evolve some process for the better utilisation of the colonial hemp, whereby its value would be largely increased. - The Posts' London correspondent.