HEMP GRADING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 464, 31 July 1909, Page 3

HEMP GRADING.

CHIEF FIBRE EXPERT IN DEFENCE.

A POOR CASE AND A WEAK ADVOCATE.

(N.Z. Times.)

We are rather sorry the Chief Fibre Expert has attempted to reply to some remarks made in these columns last week in regard to hemp grading. It necessitates expression of the blunt truth, however disagreeable this may lie in answering a weak opponent. The expert is credited with this expression of opinion: “It had always been with him and Ins staff a cardinal principle to test fibre for tensile strength, but for the strength it should possess during and after manufacture. . . . Every grader on joining the staff receives instructions to most strictly adhere to demanding good strength in fibre. Ido not know of any grader who has neglected to carry out these explicit instructions.” We can imagine the hysterics the graders went into on reading this. When, we would like to know, was Mr Fulton converted to the importance of strength ? Why, if this story be true, was a line of hemp which had been graded common in a southern port the other- day—the Chief Fibre Expert pointing it within one point of the grader—and on a re-grade being demanded in Wellington it was declared to be, with the Chief Fibre Expert’s approval, worthy of a higher grade ? And, the most significant fact of all, the only character responsible for this remarkable difference of opinion and for the Chief Fibre Expert’s reversal of judgment, was “strength”! Of course, this is only one incident, but we quote it because it will be very distinct in Mr Fulton’s memory.

Mr Fulton says the graders meet in conference and are in constant touch with one another and himself. Now, Mr Fulton ! And the expert continues : “So there can be no variation of view as to standardisatonof tensile strength.” This is too good. Even Mr Fulton must have laughed when he got this into print. The specious criticism of the Chief Fibre Expert of the principle of having a machine for testing tensile strength is worthy of a better cause. Of course he puts an unfair reading on our claim in regard to this matter. While contending that the present crude and unsatisfactory method of testing for strength demanded reform, but certainly not spinning the fibre—quite impracticable on the face of it—we pointed out that another heading was required for keeping quality, such, for instance, as “purity.” Why does Mr Fulton omit to mention this ? The heading for strength should deal with strength alone, for strength is the most important character in the fibre. It is satisfactory to know, from Mr Fulton’s remarks, that he has at this late hour been coni verted to the value of strength. ' It is also very good to know that the Chief Fibre Expert has dhe utmost confidence in his staff. It is very nice uf hm. to say this, for the hemp graders are, on ttawhole, capable men ; hut why has he failed in practice to give evidence of this confidence in the past ? Mr Fulton denies—he says it is absurd —that each grader is a law unto himself. We may be a little wrong here, as some of the remarkable differences of opinion exemplified in the work of the graders has been due to certain graders trying to follow the Chief Expert’s idea of quality, while the others have graded according to their own independent judgment. It would be interesting in this connection to have a record of the gradings that have been reversed and the money lost to millers fry the erratic work at some grading ports. Mr Fulton says: ‘ ‘ While I have been head of the fibre division for a number of years I have not been head ot.the Department, but I have always acted under instructions.” This is about the weakest thing in Mr Fulton’s defence. If he has found it hard to work with his departmental superiors he certainly has had a free hand in directing hemp grading operations, and this work he can hardly be said to have controlled with success. The grading of hemp has been satisfactory to a certain degree because of the good work of individual graders, who have had, however, no assistance, guidance, or inspiration from the quarter they should naturally have expected to receive it from. The system has succeeded, notwithstanding a heavy handicap, in spite of the Chief Fibre Expert. It was high time the service was reorganised.