THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1266, 2 July 1914, Page 4

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

The fibre delivered at the grading stores last month was for the time of year of exceptional volume, but with the end of the month the deliveries fell rapidly away, indicating the end of the exporting season, the bulk of the fibre now reaching the stores representing the final strippings. The quality of the majority of recent lines was anything but satisfactory, due, no doubt, to the fact that they were largely composed of poor descriptions of hemp held bgck from shipment during the season; in other words, fibre retained by the miller in order that his principal shipments might be as uniform in quality as possible.

It is satisfactory to know that an increasing number of millers are taking advantage of the off season to dean up their swamps, put the drains iu good order, and overhaul, and iu some cases renew, their plants. There are very few mills in New Zealand at the present time which are not equipped with the latest laboursaving appliances, and the owners ot the few which are being worked under old methods are postponing the introduction of improved processes in anticipation of a better system being introduced by reason of the Government bonus for a new method of treating phormium fibre. By the end of next month it is probable that the work of inspecting the processes of inventors competing for the bonus will be completed. London agents are again complaining of the weakness in the New Zealand system of marketing fibre—not maintaining regular and uniform shipments throughout the season, and thereby preventing manufacturers securing constant supplies. This, it is contended, has the inevitable tendency to drive phormium fibre off the market, to the advantage of com peting commodities. The manufacturer will always favour the product which he can secure from month tc month and season to season. These remarks apply with even greater force to tow, as it is not so easy to obtain a substitute for this by-product as it is tor phormium fibre itself. The supply of tow has been declared to have been below the demand existing for it during the past season on Home markets. —Mr W. H. Ferris in the Journal of the Department of Agriculture.

MAY GRADING RETURNS. Hemp. The total number of bales graded was B,Bgi, as compared with 17,107 for the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 8,216 bales. For the twelve mouths ending 31st May, 19141 the number of bales graded was H 3.556 as compared with 137,169 for the previous twelve months, the increase being 6,387 bales. The number graded at each port was: Wellington 3238, Foxton 2584, Auckland 1579, Bluff 6x5, Blenheim 201, Dunedin 182, Picton 159, Lyttelton 33. The following are the details of the grading :

Ten bales at Lyttelton, 88 at Picton and 114 at Blenheim were graded fine. Forty bales at Auckland, 20 at Foxton and 15 at Wellington were rejected and lour bales at Wellington were condemnedTow.

During the month 3,257 bales were dealt with, as compared with 5,128 for the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 1,871 bales. For the twelve months ending 31st May, 1914, the number of bales graded was 46,888, as compared with 47,003 for the previous twelve months, a decrease of 115 bales.

H 1 cr <n Port, g--3 3 First » Grade. pi Sec’nd gGrade, c* Third “ Grade. § Total. ! I

Stripper Slips. Passed for export: Foxton, Ist grade xS, 2nd grade 27, total 45 ; Wellington, 2nd grade 32. Condemned : Wellington 2.

Port. Good Fair. Fair, high low Com. Auckland 305 772 364 94 Foxton 7H G39 8 598 i54 Wellington RIenbdm 553 1,395 1.075 196 »7 — — — Picton 70 I — — Lyttelton — — — 23 Dunedin 54 120 7 X Bluff 264 323 24 4

Auckland 12 203 487 762 Foxton 119 411 31 58i Wellington 60 477 403 965 Blenheim 37 88 — 125 Picton — 117 — 117 Lyttelton — 246 10 256 Dunedin — 63 24 XOI Bluff 4i .57 245 350