THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1219, 12 March 1914, Page 4

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

January phormiura was of a disappointing character right throughout the Dominion. In very few cases was fibre of good quality turned out. Even in districts, such as Marlborough and Westland, where excellent fibre was milled last year the quality fell away seriously in January. The raw material was apparently just as good as formerly, aud the colour was satisfactory, but the work of stripping and scutching was decidedly inferior. The leaf had been merely slipped through the machine. Indeed, the general decline in the standard of stripping in practically every district was most noticeable. Lines of fibre which had been regularly scoring a good fair grade declined during the month to a fair aud even sometimes a common grade. In a number of instances millers arrived at a fair standard with disastrous results. Working in some cases with indifferent leaf, they had it stripped to a fair standard, with the result that the combination ol poor leaf, indifferent stripping and careless scutching reduced the quality to a common grade. It is always an easy' matter to strike poor quality, however high at times the ideal aimed at; but when poor quality is deliberately sought it is only to be expected that the result will be even worse than that anticipated. Millers would do well to seriously consider the illeffects of the demoralising influence of expecting stripper-keepers to do good work one week aud bad work the next. If the men are to strip any leaf well they must be encouraged to always have their machines properly set and tuned to the highest pitch. No stripperkeeper, however expert he may be, can play with his machine aud depend upon securing any grade he may desire. It is only the man who always aims at stripping to the best advantage who will consistently do goed work. We cannot expect an improved standard of stripping if the men are encouraged nay, demanded —to work their machines in order to secure an indifferent result. It is a suicioal policy to aim at a low grade product aud expect to make as good a profit as for a higher grade by reason of an increased output. Rushing the various pro cesses iu the desire to secure quantity at all costs will not only lead to immediate disappointment, but will probably invite ultimate disaster. It has to be remembered that a leputation on oversea markets is more easily lost than gained, aud that the supplying ot inferior goods is playing into the hands of our rivals. In other countries the common tendency is toward continued improvement in the standard of the produce exported, aud it is only where this is the case that permanent trade connections on a profitable basis can be assured. SHORT SIGHTED TACTICS. The bad practice continues of baling inferior hanks in the centre of good bales, and the forwarding of indifferent quality bales with bales supposedly containing much higher quality fibre. In the former case the trouble is either due to gross carelessness or to deliberate deception. In the latter case the mixing of the bales may be unintentional, but as no advice is received as to separation of the varying qualities in grading there is nothing left for the grader but to treat the parcel as one line. This mixture of qualities is becoming so common that it will be necessary, if an alteration in the methods of the responsible millers is not at once effected, Lo make a more thorough examination iu the grading stores ; that is, mors bales will have to be opened, which, of course, will add to the charges the miller has to pay Harbour Board authorities for handling bis fibre at the port of shipment.

UTILIZATION OF REFUSE PRODUCTS. A representative of a Boston (U.S.A.) paper - manufacturing firm has been on a visit to the Dominion inquiring into the question of obtaining supplies ol the waste nroducts of mills for papermaking purposes. He declares that stripper-slips, provided they can be supplied at a reasonable price, would make excellent material tor papermakiug. As there are vast quantities of this residual product now lying rotting at many mills, it is to be regretted advantage cannot be taken of this new method of utilization presented. The American firm in question is already a large user of our tow in its papermakiug business. TOW. Though tow is realising a fair price aud there are possibilities ahead of it, millers are not taking the interest in this by-product they should. Very little first-grade is being forwarded for shipment. The bulk of the lines are loaded with dust aud rubbish, materials upon which freight has to be paid (thus reducing the intrinsic value of the tow to the user) aud which are, of course, useless for either the cordage-manufacturer on the paper miller. —W. H. Ferris iu the Journal of the Department of Agriculture.

JANUARY GRADING RETURNS. HEMP. The total number of bales graded was 11,866, as compared with 12,716 for the corresponding mouth of last year, a decrease of S3O bales. For the twelve months ending 31st January, 1914, the n 1 nr her of bales graded was 100,389, as compared with 104,995 for the previous twelve mouths, the increase being 63,594 bales. The following are the details of the hemp dealt with at the different ports;

Fifteen bales at Wellington, 69 at Bk-uheim, aud 139 at Picton were graded flue. Seven bales at Auckland, 27 at Foxton, and 6 at Wellington were rejected, and 33 at Auckland, and six at Wellington were condemned. TOW. During the mouth. 4,276 bales were dealt with, as compared with 4,844 for the corresponding month of iast year, a decrease of 568 bales. For the twelve months ending 31st January, 1914, the number of bales graded was 57,038, as compared with 34,277 ior the previous twelve months, an increase of 22,761 bales. The following are the details of the grading :

Condemned: Auckland 179, Wellington 18, Dunedin 34, Bluff

Stripper slips.—Passed for export ; Foxton 150, Wellington 49 ; total 199. Condemned : Foxlon 4.

Good Fair. Port. Fair. high low Com Auckland 344 594 795 158 Fox ton 809 1 >459 559 98 Wellington 834 1 ,363 G436 93 Blenheim 340 63 14 — Pictou 4 2 5 21 23 2 Dunedin 109 130 76 — Baui 490 925 H7 83

be tv-t -1 *xi & p c rJ" s 1 sCl P £ o rr c C3 B Wellington Foslon Auckland Port. i 1 1 1 OJ VO G>4^ 0 5 1 First Grade. Cm 4* U\ G\ 1 M w vO vO O On 00 O **■>1 4“ to Ov to Sec’nd Grade. C^> 00 VO 10 CC VO C 00 CO o to -4 Cm -£* CO CO InJ Cn Third Grade. 545 1-1 10 hW m vj VO On o CC -£• OnC*) >o O 00 Oi OiNO'-> ON Total.