THE FIBRE INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3723, 15 November 1906, Page 3

THE FIBRE INDUSTRY.

* Interesting Interview with Mr John

Holmes.

Our representative, hearing that Mr John Holmes, of Wellington, was in town, sought an interview with him yesterday morning, in respect to the fibre industry which t is so closely bound up with the 'prosperity of this town and district and upon which subject Mr Holmes can claim to speak with authority. He gladly acceded to our request. It wiil be remembered that Mr Holmes acted as a trades commissioner for the colony in 1897 and 1898 specially dealing with the investigation of the fibre markets of the world. He was lor 18 months engaged in this work, subsequently reporting to the Government recommending a compulsory grading system which he then pointed out had; a three-fold object: (1) If gave protection to the honest miller. (2) Corrected the errors of the careless miller. (3) It secured the confidence of buyers beyond the seas. The last named, being the greatest consideration in the subsequent developments of the fibre trade. He points with satisfaction to the increasing results which have followed upon his official investigation in ’97 and ’9B. Prior to his departure for England, the total hemp exports for 1897 were 1800 tons, at a value of ,£lO per ton f.o.b. To day the annual export has reached a total of 30,000 in round numbers, at an average price for good fair quality of per ton, making an approximate of nearly of an annual export. Satisfactory as this must be to all interested, Mr Holmes, how-

ever, directs attention to the fact that the increasing demand has grown beyond the supply of the colony, and herein lies the danger which he, as a keen business man, with world-wide experience, now wishes to direct special attention. It is of course unusual, especially

amongst producers, that where < prosperity.continues to shine,?as it has done of recent years with this

staple product, few, if any, of the millers, merchants, or others interested, have taken into consideration what will be the effect of the future ot this industry if we continue to receive orders from America, Canada, Great Britain and the Continent, without being able to supply such demand. Mr Holmes very cogently says is it reasonable to expect large rope and twine manufacturers in the outside world to continue to send their orders to New Zealand and get little or no response, and when there is a response it is altogether out of proportion to the volume of orders in hand and therefore is continually leading to disappointment. In the; opinion of Mr Holmes, these large manufacturers will, sooner or later, turn their attention to other fibre producing countries from whence they can 'get a continuity of supply, which is of the utmost importance to them in the upkeep of their manufacturing industries. In answer to the question what is the remedy for this, Mr Holmes replied: I am persuaded that no time should be lost in the proper cultivation and planting Of the waste lands of this country with the best varieties of phormium tenax . which could be profitably planted throughout the length and breadth of this land, thereby utilising with the best possible results the waste lands of New Zealand. Mr Holmes added that a proper system of bonuses to be paid upon dressed fibre manu-

factured from cultivated flax would act as a great stimulus to the hundreds of farmers throughout the colony who would be encouraged to cultivate and plant portions of their own land with a view of winning the prize off-red by the Government. This would have a most beneficial effect in the near future. Not only would the farmers themselves be beneficiaries under this excellent movement, but the flaxmillers would greatly benefit thereby. The main point which Mr Holmes emphasised is the ability of New Zealand from the Bluff to the North Cape to cope with the increasing demand for our fibre and so retain the trade which he has done much to establish on its present satisfactory footing. It were well for the colony that we had a hundred such men as Mr Holmes to develop the industries of New Zealand. His enthusiasm in the course of the fibre industry is too well-known to require any comments from us, save to add that we wish he were resident in this town to create a greater interest in the only industry which Foxton can call its own ; the progress of which is so closely bound up with the miller, merchant, trader, storekeeper and land owner in this district.