THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 472, 26 August 1909, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Speaking at Christchurch to a representative of the Lyttelton Times the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister of Agriculture, made pertinent reference to the hemp industry. He had a report prepared, he said, which showed why it did no pay to conduct flax mills. The report showed that in 1895 flax had been sold at £9 10s a ton, and it paid to produce it at that price. In 1905 it cost £26 a ton to produce. The cost had since been reduced to £l9 a ton, but it did not pay very well to operate at that price. Lately there had been brought under his notice a contrivance which, it was claimed, would lessen the cost of production, while not affecting the current rates of wages. The inventor hoped that he would be able to improve the fibre so as to increase its value by £2 a ton. If that were so, the industry should get along very well. Besides improving the quality, the inventor hoped to be able to lessen the quantity of tow per ton considerably ; and he had another contrivance for preserving the vegetable matter in the leaf, which was relished by cattle, and which would make excellent fodder. In the Manawatu country, Mr Mackenzie added, there seemed to be thousands of acres of land under cultivated flax, and a great deal of it was ready for cutting. What was required was the men to meet the conditions of the industry. Very often when the conditions were met an industry would develop.