THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1163, 25 October 1913, Page 2

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

A prominent officer of the New Zealand Flaxmillers’ Association states that numerous entries are arriving for the Government's bonus of £ 12,000 for improved flax dressing machinery, nominations for which close on November 30. Applications for information have arrived from London and New York, and practically from all over the world. One London firm has definitely entered already, besides New Zealand inventors. One London inquirer asked that information be cabled Home so that he might be in time to compete. The competition seems to be having the peculiar effect of slumping, in a mild degree, the flax machinery market. Millers, wherever possible, are awaiting disclosures of the competition before making purchases. This applies less to existing mills than to new mills, which are likely to be opened. One large flax land owner at Kairanga, who is now selling flax on royalty, would have erected a new mill there a year ago, but is awaiting the development of the competition before deciding on his machinery. Two other millers recently inspected Mr Boekeu’s machine, at Tokomaru, and each straightaway gave an order to purchase, which, however, Mr Boeken declined to enter pending the final completion of his ideas, though promising them the first two machines he sold. The Flaxmillers’ Association is definitely sending an exhibit of hemp and tow to the Auckland Exhibition.