THE FAX INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3742, 24 January 1907, Page 4

THE FAX INDUSTRY.

Sonic interesting information relative to the flaxrailling industry has been compiled by the RegistrarGeneral from the last census industrial statistics. The Registrar-General states that the industry was in the lowest depths of depression at the time of the census of 1596. At that time only 52 mills were lelt in operation, and the hands employed had fallen in number to 484 men and 163 boys. Returns for 1901 showed a revival in the mills to 101 in operation, with 1519 men and 179 boys. But the census returns for 1906 show 240 mills in operation during April of that year, with 3951 men 1 and- 125 boys employed thereat. The wages paid stood at ,£101,046 forUie year 1900, but increased to ,£227,460 for 1905, while nearly 200,000 tons of raw materials wers used in 1905, and 22,000 tons of fibre dressed, besides 2439 tons of tow produced. The money value of the total output was ,£557,808 against ,£203,492 in 1900, and ,£32,546, in 1895. Ot the total value of output for 1905 the provincial district of Wellington contributed the most G£x 89,002). Otago followed with ,£139,099, and Auckland took third place (,£137,426). For the other provincial districts the output ranged from ,£25,000 to ,£IOOB, The export of phormium for eleven years has been as under:—

*This is greater than the quantity returned as pressed at the census. The grading of phormium for exportation from New Zealand by a Government official under regulations has the effect of preventing badly dressed flax of an inferior quality from being sent away, and thus injuring the reputation of the article generally by depreciation. The most important particulars given in the returns are; 1905. 1901. Number of works 240 101 Hands, employed 4,076 1,698 Wages ,£227,460 ,£101,046 Value of land ,£192,471 ,£24,644 Value ofbuildi»gs ,£43,751 £11,212 Value of machinery, plant ,£119,618 ,£28,590 The h f orse-power in 1906 was 3,087, as compared with 1190 in 1901. The total value of the output in 1905 was ,£557,808, as against ,£203,492 in 1900. In 1905 199,171 tons of raw material, ot the value of ,£185,894 was used as compared with 06,571 tons of the value of ,£53,064 in 1900. The quantity of dressed fibre in 1905 was 22,128 tons, valued at ,£544,070, as against 12,035 tons of the value of £201,235 in 1900. The mills produced 2439 tons of tow valued at ,£13,738, in 1905, the figures for 1900 being 1062 tons and ,£2257.

Exported. Value. Year Tons £ 1895 1,806 21,040 1856 2,968 32,985 1897 2,769 ... 37,644 1898 4,850 ... 74,556 1899 ... 10,371 ... 184,411 1900 ... 15,906* ... 332,182 1901 10,171 195,728 1902 20,852 534,041 1903 ... 22,652 ... 505,684 1904 ... 26,936 ... 710,281 i9°5 W CC ■^4 696,467