THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2614, 2 August 1923, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Mr Alfred Seifert, of Palmerston North, was the speaker at the Rotary Club hmcheon in Wellington on Tuesday, his subject being the flax industry. Mr Seifert said that he did not consider that the position of the in - dustry was in any way hopeless. Certainly very little flax was being exported, but this was mainly due to the yellow leaf disease. The trouble was that not sufficient was being exported to keep the name of New Zealand flax before customers abroad. He had just noticed the yellow leaf disease in flax when travelling between Shannon and Palmerston, and one of his brothers had told him that yellow leaf was killing out flax in the Makerun swamp, at least six thousand acres of the plnnt having been destroyed there. In sonic eases the flax recovered, but mostly it was mined. In many areas new flax was replacing that destroyed, because, for some reason, it possessed immunity from the disease. In some of the areas he controlled 80 or 00 per cent, of the flax had gone. At least •four years elapsed before a crop of now growth was produced so they could understand some millers giving the game up in despair. If they selected plants they would he able to grow better flax than the average plants growing in a swamp, taking those qualities most, required, crossing them and planting them under the host conditions. The New Zealand flax plant had never yet engaged the attention of the plant breeder, but if that were done bo believed the flax industry would become exceedinglv 7irosperous. He knew most of the flax areas in the Dominion; they wei’e very scarce. showing the necessity for immediate action. The method of taxing the industry/was condemned ns h.-ing absolutely fatal to its continuance. Taxation scorned to lie b'vb'd vitli the intention of debarv'iio- (be growth of flax, hut if the contrary method was adopted it. would help considerably, especially if file people were encouraged in club together in their growing operations. He contended if proper encouragement was given to the industry. instead of a million and ahalf sterling being the value of the product, it would he more like five or six millions.