Griding of Hemp.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3618, 6 February 1906, Page 2

Griding of Hemp.

In his sp-’ech at the annual meetirg in ! luncheon of die Wellington Char • b ro r Bommeree, the President, Mr T. Shirtcliffe, referred t > the grading of hemp ns follows ;—Hernp showed an increase of over 12 per cent in the quanti'v ox’orted. though the greater orti n of that advantage was lost in ‘He lower average price ruling during the ’ ear. Since last September, however, it is gratifying to know that Vi# important industry has received til® benefit ot another spurt in prices, ard that millers are now almost ail fully poked with orders at full rates, tbit wi'l keen them going for some months t > come. In the Government grading of hemp I feel bound to say there Is still room for improvement. Th® policy of the graders appears to have been to raise the standard of quality* but unfortunately they have carrica t'ds to such an extent as to make it almod impossible for millers to work ip to it. An alteration in the points awarded to the several grades (more oarticul irly (he KA.Q. grade) could a! o he made with advantage to millerg -d gre Ter fairness *o oversea buyer - 1 YioHier matter in connection withth 8 1 nportant and growing industry thf t c I's for attenti n i« the G ivernm i t mg'daßon prohibiting the export cf condemned hemp, that is, fibre that has failed to reach the “ common ” of lowest grade. It occasionally happens that a line of hemp is so condemned and though intrinsically it may be worth, sajn £2O a ton, and would comnand that ifexported, the local buyers, v ’ ’O know that it cannot be exported, m iv nicc-'sd in obtaining it at a price a 1 mg way below its actual vahie. Thf a-tenh m '> f the Agricultural Depariiie T has already been drawn Virds’up and loss that would heted by the enforcement of this -e'uiation, and it is hoped that they ■ v ill agree (o modify rto the necessary extent.