FLAXMILLERS’ ASSOCIATION

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3529, 26 August 1926, Page 3

FLAXMILLERS’ ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING,

' THE INDUSTRY REVIEWED,

The annual meeting of the N.Z. Flaxmillers’ Association was held at Palmerston N. on Tuesday, presided over hy Mr A, Seifert. In reviewing 'the industry, during the past twelve months, the chairman said the output of hemp has been about the average for the past few years, with the price fairly payable. The cost of production is very high, and an endeavour must be made to reduce costs in order to •compete against the. competition of fibre such as Sisal and Manila. I will not attempt to forecast the future price of hemp and tow, he continued. The values of all commodities are falling but as our hemp has not sold' at boom prices, since the war, it is just possible that it may escape a period of very low prices. The production of Sisal has increased in Java and East Africa

and very largely in Sumatra, -while "in Yucatan, Mexico, where the largest amount of Sisal is produced, production fell very largely until two years ago, since when the output has increased considerably. Now,-T understand, the body controlling the sale of this fibre has decided on a 25 per cent, reduction of output. This, no doubt, has lately hardened the price for our hemp. The chairman went on to state that any increase in the output of New Zealand hemp would depend entirely on prices and the cost of production. New Zealand fibre was well dressed and in demand the world over, and even the lower qualities had been readily saleable in England and Europe at a reduced price. Ho regretted that the association had been unsuccessful in securing an adjustment of railway freights to a reasonable figure, they being fixed far too high for Carrying hemp. The quality of New Zealand hemp, judging by graders’ reports, had not improved. While millers were of opinion that the hemp was better dressed than in the past and that the large percentage of low grade hemp was due to raising the standard, graders were of opinion that the quality of 'the raw material was not equal to that of a few years ago and that this accounted for the lower grades. It was vital that a question of this sort should be settled, as confidence between graders and millers was essential, because if millers thought that the standard might be altered at any time without reference to them they were not likely to make their best efforts in turning out their best hemp. He was of opinion that if millers and graders got together and there was a genuine desire on both sides to come to an arrangement, the difficulties would be overcome. He knew that some of the millers felt that it was useless making representation in regard to the matter, because during the last twenty years they had made reasonable requests without having any attention paid to them. The system would have to he improved in order to prevent the industry from suffering from the want of confidence that existed at present. In regard to the activity during the year in the direction of forming flax 'companies, the president remarked that improving the supply of raw material was a step in the right direction and therefore to endeavour to improve the raw material hy selection and cultivation would be a great help ‘to the industry. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: —President: Mr 0. H. Loughnan; vice-president: Mr 11. A. Seifert; treasurer: Mr 11. Akers; committee: Messrs A. Seifert, A. Ross, J. S. Moore, Berry, Nye, H. A. Seifert, Signal, J.'H. Hume, and Peterson; auditor; Mr R. A. Fuller. QUESTION IN THE HOUSE. TO IMPROVE THE GRADE. The appointment at an early date of inspectors and instructors to the llaxmi'lls of the Dominion with the object of improving the grade of hemp produced was advocated in the House yesterday by Mr J. Linklater (Manawatu) in a question he intends to ask the Minister of Agriculture. “I am informed on good .authority,” added Mr Linklater, “that an in,grade of one point in the hemp production of the Dominion wbuld mean an increase in levenue of not less than £40,000. It seems to me that inspectors should be appointed by the Government in the same manner as in the dairying industry, and the result, I feel sure, would l>e beneficial to the industry and the revenue of the country.”