THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 824, 9 April 1910, Page 3

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

POSSIBILITIES OF NEW ZEALAND HEMP.

ADDRESS BY MR WM AKERS.

Mr Win. Akers, of Ashburst, who has recently returned from a world’s tour, during which he interested himself in going very thoroughly into matters relating to the flax Industry of the world, and the possibilities of New Zealand hemp, gave an interesting account of the result ol his enquiries to a meeting of flaxmillers at the Grand Hotel, Palmerston N., on Thursday.

The president of the New Zealand Flaxmillers’ Association (Mr Bell) presided, and there were also present Messrs Riggins, Higginsou, M. Cohen, Craw, McGaflin, Broad and Greig.

Mr Akers explained that his reason for making the trip was to find out the possibilities of the flax industry, and what competition there was in the world with the New Zealand hemp. He first went to Manila and his idea was to find out whether the Philippines could produce hemp cheaper than in New Zealand. The great feature of the industry in Manila was the cheap native labour. The Fhilippinos were not themselves the workers, but there were millions of coloured labourers who were willing to work for a small cheque of a few pounds for the season. The conclusion he had come to was that the Mauila people could double their produce it they so desired. He saw 29,000 bales going out in one week. In Mauila they had practically two springs, and they had two good outputs. He also went to the other islands surrounding Manila to see the improved manner in which they dealt with the produce. Manila was an archipelego of islands, and they could go from island.to island in boats and see’everything. The climate would grow anything. There was a population in the islands of over six million natives, and these were augmented by Chinese and Japanese who came over for the flax season, it was difficult to say what would be the minimum price ol labour. The value of money fluctuated but the price of labour was always at the lowest value. A great deal of the labour was paid for by barter, and while the actual cost of producing the flax was from ,£8 to £lO equivalent to our gold and the profit was enormous, there was also a considerable profit made from this barter. All the best of the Manila hemp went to America and that which went to London was the lowest grade their was, and that was what New Zealand flax competed with. They used New Zealand flax to cover up the blemishes in appearance of the Mauila which, however, was stronger than our hemp. Mr Greig : We are therefore making a clean apron tor another people’s dirty linen i Continuing Mr Akers said that Mr Liggius had suggested to the speaker that there should be a bonus given for the invention of labour-saving machinery. He had offered ,£IOO towards such a bonus, and what he wanted was that a deputation of flaxmillers should approach the Government and ask them to re-instate the /2000 placed on the Estimates to encourage inventors of flax machinery, and also to subsidise amounts privately subscribed to the same end.

“During my travels,” said Mr Akers, “1 came across a Dr. Norman, who had held the highest position in the German Agricultural Department, being charge of the laboratory which experiments with various fibres and dyes. He had experime.ued with flax, and he and his fellowworkers found out a process to break up the flax and make it spinnable aud almost silk-like a

brilliant article for wear.” “Dr, Norman,” continued the speaker “showed me some of the results of his experiments and I was most pleased with them. I took Dr. Norman to the Agent-General, but we met with no success there, bis nationality being apparently the cause. I, however, told him I was returning to New Zealand and would place the result of his experiments before the flaxmillers. I assure you,” added Mr Akers “ from what I saw Dr. Norman’s process will increase the possibilities of flax enormously and if we can get hold of it, it may do everything for our struggling industry.” While in Italy Mr Akers found that they used New Zealand flax for many things, trimmings for furniture, door mats, dust brushes, patents for cleaning lamp glasses, and other things never thought of in New Zealand. He was also at the Agricultural Exhibition in Paris, and there he saw a quantity of fibres from various countries. “Flax will undoubtedly become useful in many trades,” added Mr Akers, “because of its power of assimilating colour. When dyed with a colour, it is more brilliant than the actual colour itself. Some time ago a quantity of stuff came into Australia from Japan. It was dyed gold, and the Customs officers wanted to tax it as silk. It was, however, found to be New Zealand flax, and this undoubtedly strengthened the idea that it could be utilised.”

Mr Akers also suggested the advisability of sending someone to Fmglaud to represent the New Zealand flax industry. Mr Bell asked whether Dr. Norman worked from the crude fibre or the dressed material. Mr Akers said he had worked from dressed material. Mr Akers stated that he was sending some of the mill refuse, dust, vegetation, etc., to the best paper makers at Home, to allow them to experiment with it. He had been informed they could make white paper with it, and he was going to England to see it tried, and hoped to send out some white paper made from this refuse. The manufacturers of England made their chief profits from by-products, and he believed the flaxmillers of New Zealand were throwing £2 a ton into the gutter.

In reply to Mr Greig, Mr Akers said the output of Manila hemp would not decrease even if the price fell to £lO or £l2 a ton. New Zealand could “ knock them out ” as to cost of production, if it was not for the labour. Their (the Philippines) method of working the flax was most crude, and there was very little machinery. Our flax competed against the worst class of Manila, and our prices were regulated by that Manila. If New Zealand flax went through one channel they could get a more reasonable price, and if they could produce it up to fine, they could get £25 a ton for it. Our hemp was badly marketed, and that was why he so strongly advocated sending a representative to England. In London he had seen thirteen acres of sheds full of Manila hemp. He believed Dr. Norman had a process that would revolutionise flax. Mr Cohen said the Government were apparently unsympathetic to the industry. It was most culpable of the Government not to give some help and sympathy to the flaxmillers. There had been visitors from the manufacturing world overseas, who had come to New Zealand and had been astonished at the possibilities of the flax industry of the Dominion. They didn’t want to be wet-nursed, but they wanted their own efforts to be encouraged.

M. Bell thanked Mr Akers on behalf ol the New Zealand Flaxmillers’ Association tor the interest he had taken iu the industry, and his interesting address. He had given substance for a general meeting of flaxmillers which would be held shortly, when the questions he had brought up would be thoroughly discussed.