THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 953, 11 February 1911, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

GRADING RETURNS FOR DECLMDFiR. The total number of bales of hemp graded during the mouth of December was 13,233, as against 14,662 for the corresponding month of the previous year—a decrease of 1429 bales.

F'or the twelve months ended December 31st, 1910, the number of bales graded was 126,814, as against 87,062 for the previous twelve months —an increase of 39,752 bales. During December, 4,328 bales of tow were graded, as against 4897 for the mouth of November —a decrease of 569 bales. The following table shows the number of bales of hemp and tow graded at: the different ports during the mouth of December: — HEMP. TOW. Auckland 209 7 885 Napier 37 Foxton 4113 956 Wellington 5136 1787 Blenheim 117 63 Picton 219 116 Dunedin 463 133 Bluff 1031 388 Of the hemp graded at Foxton there were 115 bales ot fine, 3340 good fair, 637 fair, 7 common, and 10 rejected. Of the tow submitted, 423 bales were first grade, 46S second grade, and 65 third grade.

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.

As will be seen from the grading returns which appear above 4113 bales of hemp were dealt with by the local grader, Mr W. Petrie, during the mouth of December. This amount constituted something over 31 per cent, of the total amount of fibre graded throughout the Dominion during that month, and Wellington was the only port where a greater amount was dealt with than at Foxton. Local millers are to be congratulated on the amount of fibre they are turning out and also on the quality of same. Although hampered to a certain extent by the diseased state of some of the green leaf, the millers are still keeping up the quality of the fibre and a bigger percentage of “good fair” hemp goes through the local sheds than is the case in any other port where anything like a big amount is handled. As is generally the case the best quality hemp goes through the Blenheim and Picton sheds, but all millers recognise that the Marlborough leaf is far superior to that grown in this district as it is practically hillgrown as against the locally swamp-grown. But in any case the amount of hemp milled in Marlborough is a mere bagatelle—a matter of something over 300 bales for December—and is not worth taking into consideration. Of the total amount of hemp graded for the mouth of December, the percentages of the different grades was as follows: Superior, o. 1 ; fine, 2.75 ; good fair, 63.1 ; fair, 29.5 ; common, 4.15 ; rejected, 0.2 ; and condemned 0.2. Of the hemp graded locally no less than Si.2o per cent, was good fair. In other ports where over 1000 bales were dealt with the percentages of good fair were : Wellington, 62.63 ; Auckland, 54.22 ; and Bluff, 17.79. The percentage of “fair” hemp graded at Foxtou was 15.48, at Wellington 30.41, at Auckland 34.28 and at Bluff 68.12. Of the higher grade hemp there were 366 bales of “fine” handled during December, 157 at Wellington, 119 at Foxtou, 88 at Picton and 2 at Auckland. There were only 12 bales which reached the “superior” grade, being a line of Marlborough milled fibre, which was graded at the Picton sheds. Taking everything into consideration, the state of the leaf, amount put through per day, etc., the millers in this district are to be complimented on the quality turned out which is ahead of that in any other part of the Dominion.