THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3018, 1 April 1926, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

CLASSII'TCATION DISCUSSED,

MEETING OF MILLERS AND DEPARTMENT.

The New Zealand Flaxmillers’ Association met yesterday, at Palmerston, Mr. A. Seifert presiding. There were also present: Messrs H. Seifert, J. S. Moir, C. Peterson, C. W. 'Clinkard (Industries and Commerce Department), H. Berry, G. Brown, W. Petrie (chief hemp grader) and Mr. A. H. Cockayne (Department of Agriculture). The chairman, who recently returned from a trip abroad, said he had visited the hemp plantations of Ceylon, India, Java and the Straits Settlements and had tried to get as much information regarding the industry there as he could. He had found that labour was much cheaper —the services of 180 men could be obtained for the same money as was paid 12 in New Zealand. Though the market to-day ranged about £3O 10s per ton for high fair, this was not equal to the average pre-war price taken over a period of about ten years, when the cost of production to-day was taken into account. The minimum rate of wages just before the war started was 9s 4d; to-day it was 14s 4d. The percentage of increase in wages was therefore greater than the increase, in the value of hemp. Again, railway charges, taxation and other costs had increased over 100 per cent., so that altogether the flax milling industry was in a worse position than it was before the war. Some time ago it was stated that the stocks of hemp throughout the world were so low that it was expected that a considerable increase in the price would shortly take place. That had not eventuated, however, and instead of an increase in the price of hemp one saw the production of sisal in the Yucatan, Sumatra and East Africa increasing.

He did not wish to be pessimistic about the future, but there was no use disguising the fact that the flaxmillers had to be very watchful and keep down the cost of production to the lowest possible point and at the same time dress the quality of hemp that would suit the trade. Ml 1 . Berry said it was useless trying to make people take the quality they did not want; what the millers should do was find out exactly what was required.

Mr. Clinkard said the course for tire New Zealand millers to adopt was 'to put their hemp into a good enough condition to compete on what seemed an exceptionally keen market. The production of other classes of libre was increasing, and unless New Zealand kept its products clean, manufactures would switch over to sisal altogether. HEMP GRADING. Mr. A. Seifert tabled the following notice of'motion: “That a committee be set up to supervise hemp grading, this committee to consist of one member of the Department of Agriculture, two merchants and two millers.” He said his reasons for giving notice of motion were that hemp grading had not been giving satisfaction for some considerable time; that millers felt they were not in close enough touch with consumers of hemp; that when complaints came forward they were not informed of the nature of these complaints; and that there had been complaints that the standard of the quality was not the same at all grading ports. Mr. Seifert added that he was of the opinion that a committee as suggested by him would be in close touch with all sides of the industry and could meet once a month or every two months to consider all complaints and also endeavour to reorganise the system if it required it. He wished to make it quite clear he was not against Government grading—it had many advantages —but it was a fact that hemp that not Government graded was the most popular in the world to-day. He recognised that the graders had a very difficult job, but he felt there was dissatisfaction. The whole onus was put on the grader, but the miller knew what the market wanted, and why not let him supply it/ Mr. Berry said he agreed with every word Mil’. Seifert had said. It was at present impossible to have a substantially uniform line.

Mi'. Clinkard said lie did not agree with the chairman's coiqparison between flax and sisal, as sisal was not graded to any standard. It was impossible to get down to a basis upon which everybody would agree or to grade a mixed product. Air. Seifert said all hemp went into a pool. If his hemp was worse than anybody else’s he did not think it should be allowed to interfere with other millers’ hemp which may be better. It would put the miller more on his mettle if his product were not pooled.

Mi’. Cockayne thought scutching was the worst feature in our hemp to-day and if it was overdone the position would be worse than it was now. The argument about the grade ■being hardened had been going on for about 22 years. The trouble was millers viewed the worst hemp ■they produced as the standard.

Mi*. Petrie argued that it was impossible to grade in the manner wished so long as hemp was received in the way it was being sent in at present.

• Mi*. Seifert said he agreed that there would have to be thorough classification.

Mr. Cockayne said about ball; the has product was exported as high fair, and it was necessary to get this as uniform as possible. Mr. Cliukard thought that if there were only one or two central olassi-

lying stations there would be cheaper and better classification.

CLASSIFICATION COMMITTEE. The chairman said he felt he had to go further in the matter, but as there was such a small meeting he would like the question to be discussed at a later date. If classifying were to be done it would have to be done thoroughly.

The following were constituted a committee to bring down a report on co-operative central classification by millers: —Messrs. A.' H. Cockayne, A. Ross, A. Seifert and J. S. Moir. The committee will confer with the merchants.

DAMAGE IN RAILWAY TRANSIT. The chairman advised that some time ago he complained to the Railway Department that a great many ' bales of hemp and tow got wet in transit because of bad tarpaulins and unsuitable trucks. He had asked the department to return all hemp to the mill and convey it again to the port, free of charge, when it got wet in transit, and was glad to say he had received a reply from the head office stating that eveiy effort would be made to supply suitable waggons and good tarpaulins for the traffic, and that, should any of the bales become wet in transit by rail, the department would convey them free to Shannon for reconditioning and thence to Wellington on the return journey. The meeting was adjourned.