THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2609, 21 July 1923, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

MORE ASSISTANCE WANTED,

SPEECH BY MR. J. A. NASH. When speaking in the House of Representatives in connection with the flax question in the House Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., said that as one who had waited upon the Prime Minister and the Minister for Agriculture in connection with the industi*y, he wanted to say that he was certainly disappointed with the Government at, the amount of subsidy that bad been offered. Nevertheless, he was fully convinced that if the flaxgrowers went on with their investigations and experiments and satisfied the Government that they were doing the right thing, that the Government would come to their aid with a larger subsidy. Yellow leaf was playing havoc with the /lax, and the millers were doing their best to eradicate it, through the efforts of experts, who were or had been, carrying out experiments. Yet, notwithstanding their efforts the Government had previously only granted a subsidy of £156 and therefore the balance of the expenditure necessary had to be, found by the millers themselves, with the result that the cost had proved very heavy. The Minister for Agriculture had visited Shannon, whore he had met those interested in the (lax industry, and was made acquainted with the nature of the experiments that had been carried out. Subsequently the Minister and others were taken to the swamp, where a demonstration was given of the new system of cutting flax, which certainly had increased the cost of cutting by nearly double, as compared with the former method. There was, however, a compensating advantage, namely, that instead of having to wait for four years for a renewal of the crop, two years only would he required under the new method, and it showed conclusively that the new idea was going to stay. However, it was impossible for them to carry on with a sum of £580; consequently they were very keen that the Government should increase the amount of subsidy. The fact that 'll was an important industry would not be denied. It was impossible to graze stock on the bulk of the land. Tt had been demonstrated beyond doubt- that one acre of good flax was equal to five acres of land used for dairying purposes. For that reason the Government should see that the industry did not. go to the wall. One large mill at Mira uni had nine strippers, but for some time past only three si rippers wore working which meant that a good deal of useful employment was denied the people who formerly worked along the Manawatu lino." Tn 1910 the output was 26,(574 tons of flax and 4,578 fons of t„w, and if was reduced to 18,949 tons of flax and 3,210 tons of tow in 1920. For that reason they wanted the Government to try and assist the industry and not allow it to die out. The millers had been prepared to put up their money in the past and thus establish a national industry by private capital, and for that reason they considered the Government should rise -to the occasion at the present time. It, would be in the interests of the Government as well as the interests of the workers and the people who were engaged in the flax industry.