THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2581, 17 May 1923, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

DEPUTATION WAITS ON MINISTERS.

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE . PROMISED. An important deputation of tlaxmillors, merchants and members of local bodies waited upon the Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture at Wellington on Tuesday in connection with the hemp industry. Public interest has been aroused of late by the important results obtained in the experimental work at Miranui. The millers have been endeavouring to secure plants that will resist disease and at the same time yield a higher percentage and better quality of fibre, also plants that will mature early. Experiments were also directed towards planting seed at various times of the year to find out the best season for planting. A great many experiments have also been carried out to discover the effects of different methods of cutting the leaf. The old method involved a complete cut away from the root, but experiments have shown that if' only the matured leaves were cut and two or three left on the plant the shock of cutting was avoided and the yield was about two and a-half times greater than under the old method. -Although cutting the matured leaf only was more expensive the owners were compensated by the extra yield and the greater disease resisting capacity of the plant.

When the experiments lmd reached an interesting and valuable stage, promising results of national importance, the millers found themselves up against the financial problem, and they determined to seek Government assistance. The value of the research was recognised also out>ido the industry, consequently the deputation which waited on the Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture was a representative one. The New Zealand Flnxmillcrs’ Association was represented by the president, Mr A. Seifert and Messrs R. T. Bell, A. Ross, and A. A. Brown, and Mr-1. Linklater, M.P. There were also present a number of leading city merchants and representatives of the Palmerston North and Wellington Chambers of Commerce, Kairanga and Trorowhcnna County Councils, and Shannon and Foxtou Boroughs. Mr -I. A. Nash, M.P., who introduced the deputation stall'd that the question was one of great importance to the Mnimwatn district, and, in fact, to the whole of New Zealand. He pointed out that those interested were prepared to help in the work and did not suggest that the whole of the financial burden should fall on the State.

The chief spokesman was Mr A. Seifert, who said that if was essential that research work should he continued in order to see whether it was possible to produce a disease resisting plant. During the last eighteen months the experiments had cost £045, out of which sum the Government had contributed Cl5O Last vear the Government refused to give a' penny towards the work on the ground (hat strict economy was necessary. With all due respect, he asserted that that constituted false economy. They now asked the Government to give £I.OOO a year for a number of years. In order to find a portion of that money the llaxmillers were prepared to submit to a levy of (id per ton on all fibre sent into the grading stores, and they would ask the Government to impose that levy so that the contribution from the interested parties would he on a fair basis. The levy, it was estimated, would produce between £SOO and £OOO per annum, and they would ask the Government to find the balance up to £I,OOO. One member of (be deputation discussed the question of turning the (lax swamps into dairying laud, and claimed that such a plan would not prove profit aide in Ihe Mnimwatn where the swamps were subject to periodical Hoods and were sometimes under water for as long as six weeks at a time.

Tin* Prime Minister said he knew tile value of the Max-milling industry to the Dominion. Whether it would continue to he of the same value lie could not say. ITe might inn agree with all that had been said about Max being more profitable than dairying. It depended upon the finality of the soil, although the liability of Hooding would play an important part. Tie was at one time interested in Max land which was now given over to dairying with very good results. However, he was quite prepared to assist the flaxmillers and more so because they had exhibited a desire to help themselves. He could not say just what the Government would do, hut it would certainly do something. Tie would have to consult his colleagues, particularly the Minister of Agriculture. He could not express an opinion as to what would do away with the yellow leaf. That was a matter for the Max millers themselves and for the experts. He hoped that the experiments that had been put in train would he attended with every success.

The Minister of Agriculture stated that the officers of his Department had gone very fully into the matter, and when the question was before Cabinet, he would supply all the data that had been gathered. It was proposed that any fund established should be administered with the aid of two representatives of the Agricultural Department.