THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3852, 2 October 1928, Page 2

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

A DIP INTO THE PAST. WHAT OF THE FUTURE? The present depression in the hemp industry and consequent recent inauguration of a Scientific Industrial Research Board, which is giving considerable attention to this

industry, so vital to the southern portion of the Manawatu district and Foxton in particular, is causing those interested in milling to fully investigate every avenue which shows any possibility of being beneficial to the trade. Much time and money is being spent in perfecting more up-to-date machinery, and processes which will turn out a better article at a lower figure, in order to compete more keenly with competitors on the Australia, U.S.A., and the Home markets, in an endeavour to recover some of New Zealand's lost hemp and tow trade. In this respect it is, perhaps, more than of passing interest to note that in 1880 when after a depression similar to that at present being experienced throughout the Dominion, Mr. Alfred Qldham, of Auckland, who had been engaged in experimental work in connection with flax from as far back as 1874, submitted to the Industrial Commission which was set up in that year to inquire into local industries, a proposal to manufacture ttoor matling from flax. For two years he had been engaged in manufacturing this article and was able to turn out “cocoa-matting” at 2/11 per yard as against 3/9 for the imported floor covering. The New Zealand-made product, it was claimed, was far more durable than the imported article. The fibre required for the industry was prepared in a different way from that for ordinary rope work, as the material required a different finish, but this entailed no extra cost. As far as can be ascertained to-day there is no coir matting being manufactured from New Zealand hemp, the production of which in view of its popularity might prove well worth investigating. The Commission set up at that time found that in 1878 the value of imports into New Zealand of articles which could easily be manufactured in the country from N.Z. flax was £270,498.

Rope was then being manufactured in Dunedin by Mr. De Beer for a Geelong firm. The company had a capital of £7OOO and employed six hands, and the works were capable of turning out 4 tons of rope per week. Hemp was costing £3O per ton at Dunedin, and the rope found a ready sale at £4B per ton, the cost of manufacture being £44. The Commission found, however, that very little N.Z. flax was used in the manufacture of the rope in New Zealand, most of the material being imported from Manilla via Melbourne.

Flax first became an industry of importance in 1871, but no interest v/as evinced in its preparation in the Manawatu until 1874 when two mills commenced operations in Foxton. After a period of prosperity the industry waned, and is 1880 the prospect was anything but cheering. A review of the export of hemp from N.Z. since the inauguration of the industry up till this time is interesting and serves to illustrate the rise and fall of the industry experienced even in those early days:— Year -Value of flax exported £ 1871 90,611 1872 99,405 1873 143,799 1874 37,690 1875 , > 11,742 1876 18,285 1877 18,826 1878 10,666 Previous to 1871 there is no record of the value of the flax exported. The above figures show the rapid growth of the trade and the equally rapid decline. An analysis of the export of hemp is interesting. Of the £10,666 exported in 1878, £5,249 worth or nearly one-half was sent to the Colonv of Victoria, £3,639 went to N.S.W. and £1,503 to U.K., the remaining £275 being equally divided between South Australia and the United States. The flax sent to Victoria was used chiefly in the manufacture of paper. Even in 1880 considerable interest was evinced in the development of the trade and a strong appeal was made from Invercargill for the importation of proper machinery for the manufacture of white paper and newspaper while in Auckland the Workingmen’s Political Association urged the Colonial Industries Commission to direct its attention to the encouraging of paper manufactories in the colony. The Clyde County Council suggested that a bonus should be offered for the production of paper. The matter was, therefore, prominently brought under the notice of the Commission, but they passed it over with scarcely as much as a reference to the industry in their report. Messrs Mason and Struthers, of Christchurch, however exported flax to America that year to. have it worked up there with the intention of importing the machinery and supplying it to a Canterbury twine maker, as the colonial manufacture at the time could not compete with the imported article which was selling a 1/2 to 1/3 per lb. It was considered with machinery New Zealand could produce it at 7d per lb. In the following year there was a revival in the industry. Messrs Hall and Forbes commenced rope manufacture in Christchurch. Since that time the industry has

progressed, despite its many ups and downs and to-dav is possibly knocking at the door of an era of great possibilities, as the Scientific Industrial Research Board promises to do much to develop the trade. Who knows hut what the future might see mills situated in the Manawatu and elsewhere turning out a very competitive article to the common everyday jute sack and wool pack at present held under such a monopoly by foreign manufacturers.