The Flax Industry.

Manawatu Herald, 22 September 1904, Page 2

The Flax Industry.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE. INVERCARGILL, Sept. 20. The Invercargill Chamber of Commerce to-day considered a circular from the Agricultural Department, having reference to flax grading certificates. The committge appointed to report on the question recommended that the form of certificate be adopted, with the exception that “ fair ” grade should b,e from 65 to 74 points, and “common” anything under 65, it being considered that the present range of 15 points for “ fair ” was too wide, and that business would work better if., the range were reduced to 10 points; that the Department be written to, pointing out the necessity which the Chamber thinks exists for appointing an inspector to make periodical visits to the mills for the purpose of instructing the operatives in the proper methods of manufacturing fibre; also to adopt some system of marking bales in such a manner that the marks could .not be removed. The report added that certain exporters are strongly of opinion that in some cases where buyers have made quality claims, and called on arbitration, flax other than that exported has been put before the arbitrators. If bales were branded in such a way that the brands could not be removed, substitution of this kind would be rendered impossible. It was resolved to add a clause to the report recommending that provision should be made on the form of certificate to show the weight of flax graded.