THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 855, 21 June 1910, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

STATE ENCOURAGEMENT

WANTED,

The possibilities of the flax industry have never been fully realised by a big majority of New r Zealanders. The Flaxmillers’ Association at Palmerston North is now making a forward move, and endeavouring to get the Government to foster the industry. The days when flax business boomed with the hum of prosperity are over for the time being, and the later periods have been times of struggle; days of proprietors keeping the mills working with the profit balance down near at zero, if in existence at all ; days of mills closed and men out of work. Of course, just at present things are more satisfactory than they were not very long ago, but the good days are gone, and it would not take a very heavy blow to crush the industry, or at least cripple it. The Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. Thomas McKenzie, has already been asked to appoint a chief grader, with the object of ensuring equality of grading at every port in the Dominion. The Minister expressed his own personal agreement with the idea, and the association has since lived in the hope of hearing of an acceptable appointment before long. On the occasion alluded to the Minister was also asked to further subdivide the present grades. The Minister was also requested to permit the association (who claimed that they represented the greater number of millers of this and the surrounding districts, and in the aggregate at least thirty to forty per cent, of the total export of the Dominion) to approach the Department direct with any resolution or suggestion for the benefit of the industry as a whole, and so avoid delays. All the Minister’s replies were considered satisfactory.

But the most important matter, and one which has a great deal of attention from the association since its meeting with the Minister, is the request lor the placing on the Estimates of an adequate bonus to attract the attention of scientists and inventors to the huge scope presented under the present process of flaxmilling, which —to be candid —is primitive. The hope of the preservation of the industry lies particularly in a reduction of the cost of production. In an interview with the writer on Saturday a prominent member of the Millers’ Association expressed the opinion that the industry in New Zealand had little to fear if the activities of other countries were kept pace with. There were numerous evidences of better machinery being brought out, but he considered it idle to suppose that anyone scientifically equipped and personally capable would address themselves to the matter unless there was a substantial reward offered. “To this end, therefore,’’ he proceeded, 1 ‘the association are awaiting an appointment to press home the urgent necessity of this project. The question of means whereby this can be secured without costs to the country Iras been met by a proposition from the association that any amount paid by the Government respecting investigations should be defrayed by collecting a tonnage charge levied on the fibre exported until the amount and the interest are repaid. It has been suggested that, whilst this idea emanates only from an association, which, though large and representative in itself, cannot be said to represent the whole Dominion, there may be some millers who would object to a tonnage charge being placed upon their hemp. I don’t think that that is material, as whatever tax is levied there will always be some who will dissent. The tonnage charge would be a mere circumstance compared with the value of the benefits resulting. Suppose /20,000 was expended ; put the average output for the Dominion down as 20,000 tons a year. A half-crown per ton would in about eight years repay the whole amount and pay the interest. And if, as is anticipated, something is introduced which will save, say, /2 per ton in the cost of producing, it will be readily seen how infinitesimal the half crown tonnage charge is. “Apart from the direct benefit to millers, the possibilities to the Dominion generally are limitless. Who can realise what a spurt it would mean to the industry if the price, which is considered barely profitable to-day, became to be regarded as one under which the industry could be run as a payable proposition ? Think of what it would mean to the workers if double or treble their number could be employed at the reasonably remunerative wages which are earned by flaxmill hands ! It may be urged that the advent of new machinery and better processes will limit the amount of manual labour necessary. I don’t think so. The production of hemp will always require brains, and the enlarged sphere of the industry under the altered conditions would absorb, not only the present labour, but a very great deal more. And, further, whereas mills have to close down when the price goes below a certain figure, they would then continue working, as the margin between the reduced cost of producing and the average price of hemp would permit a continuance. “Here is another very important feature; It is considered that the planting of flax areas is not a payable proposition to-day, but my opinion is that very large areas of waste lauds suitable for the purpose would be planted and intelligently farmed as flas-prjoduciug lauds. '

“Another thing must not be overlooked. At no time in the history of flax-milling has there been such a development in the improving of machinery. Already there are several new catching machines on the market. There is an automatic bench-loader in practical work. A machine scutcher, simplifying the present operation and quadrupling the output, is now in the hands of experimenters, and seems likely to be a success. So that, with all those things and many others looming up in the near future, we cannot escape a small revolution in the process of manufacture. “We asked the Government to keep that spirit alive, and make it worth the while of these men with new ideas to persevere with their inventions. The patent laws are such that many are afraid that the result of their years of work and hundreds of pounds of expenditure will be fruitless if they have to exploit their contrivances themselves. Others, again, are apt to put too high a price on the results of their inventiveness and labour. That is where we want the Government to step in to deal equitably with inventors and with millers.

“ But the greatest thing of all is that an entirely new process might be evolved which would render our fibre suitable for many purposes for which it is not now used, and so extend its utility and increase its consumption. We are awaiting advice from the Minister as to a convenient date to discuss this very important matter with him.”—Dominion.