THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1153, 2 October 1913, Page 4

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

It was very satisfactory to all concerned in the work of grading phormium fibre to note a general improvement in the character of the parcels forwarded for shipment during the past month. It was not only that less fibre from diseased hemp was in evidence, but the general work of milling, especially in stripping and scutching, showed a distinct advance. The proportion of good-fair was much higher than it was for the whole ot last season. No doubt the increased margin in market value between good-fair and fair, which has been up to £4, has been largely responsible tor the better work. It is now paying the miller well to aim at the better quality. That the cordage trade is appreciating the good-fair standard is a hopeful sign, but unfortunately it cannot secure all it needs of this grade. Thus an opportunity is being lost in several quarters of having phormium fibre adopted for the manufacture of the best descriptions ot binder twine, as other fibres must, as a result of the insufficient supply, be used in its place. If a supply ot a commodity cannot be secured, it is a natural consequence that it will be neglected and be finally displaced by rival materials. While the proportion of goodfair fibre has increased, there is still a good deal of inferior fair quality hemp being turned out, and this by millers who have good leaf and are working with up-to-date mills. In several cases which have come under my notice the reason was found to be that of men in charge of the stripping machines did not understand their work, a bad thing for the industry, but worse for the employing miller. This poor 'stripping is especially disastrous in such a district as Southland, where the leaf in general is short. Failure to strip well to the tips means that if an attempt is made to overcome the defect by scutching, the fibre is made shorter still, Manufacturers are complaining of the rough and short nature of the fibre in question, whereas if the milling were carefully controlled the want of length would not be nearly so apparent. The new season is being entered upon with confidence. The season’s crop of leaf in the Manawatu is a decided improvement on that ot last season, and with prices still on a very payable basis, every effort is being made to work the mills at their maximum capacity. This, and the present tendency to aim at a good standard of fibre, points to a record season. In some districts the tow being sent forward for shipment is still very unsatisfactory, being badly shaken and of poor colour. This is to be regretted, especially as the market for this by-product is weakening in sympathy with a decline in the market value of jute.

A good number of new and thoroughly up-to-date mills will be in operation this season, principally in Westlaud and Southland. Several new ideas, having for their objective improvement in the present method of milling the fibre and economising in this work, are being experimented with. In more than one case encouraging progress in reported. In future official monthly returns of the hemp exported distinction will be made between high- and low-pointing parcels in the two principal grades, thus highpointing and good-fair will be shown in a separate column from

low pointing - , and the same thing will apply to fair. The grading staff has been strengthened by the appointment of Mr Adam Hall, of Invercargill, a miller of considerable experience and recognised as a competent authority on the production of phormium fibre. Mr Hall was selected by the Department to install a phormium-fibre milling plant tor the Imperial Government at St, Helena, where he remained for some three years instructing the islanders and directing the establishment of the new industry. Since his return to New Zealand, Mr Hall has been milling on his own account in the Southland district.—Mr W. H. Ferris in the Journal of the Department of Agriculture.

graded was 8,153, as compared wito 4,431 for the corresponding month of last year, an increase of 3,722 bales. For the twelve months ending 31st August, 19x3, the number ot bales graded was 154,249, as compared with 91,166 for the previous twelve months, the increase being 63,083 bales.

The total number of bales graded at each port was as follows : Foxton 3,527, Wellington 2,666, Auckland 2,230, Bluff 286, Picton 198, Blenheim 177, and Dunedin 69. The number in each grade was :

Fifteen bales at Foxton and nine at Wellington were rejected. TOW. During the month, 2,545 bales were dealt with, as compared with 1,139 for the corresponding mouth of last year, an increase ot 1,406 bales. For the twelve mouths ending 31st August, 1913, the number of bales graded was 53,671, as compared with 25,388 for the previous twelve months, the increase being 28,283 bales. The number dealt with at each

T 3 C —, Port. n> First Grade. Sec’nd Grade. Third Grade. Total.

In addition to the above, 97 bales at Auckland, 34 at Foxton. 15 at Wellington’ 12 at Dunedin, and 20 at Bluff were condemned. STRIPPER-SUPS. Passed for export: Foxton, xo6 ; Wellington, 109 ; total, 215. Condemned: Foxton, 10 ; Wellington, 18 ; total, 28.

Good Port. Fine. fair. fair. Com. Auckland — 226 869 135 Foxton — 369 3102 4i Wellington 14 870 1573 200 Blenheim — 177 Picton 59 43 94 2 Dunedin — 37 23 9 Bluff — 26 230 30

Auckland — 120 331 451 Foxton 34 646 181 871 Wellington 70 288 421 779 Blenheim — 76 5i 127 Picton 59 26 — 85 Dunedin — 16 16 Bluff — 6 52 , 58