A £10,000 BONUS

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40028, 26 November 1929, Page 3

A £IO,OOO BONUS

IMPROVEMENTS IN FLAX ' PRODUCTION.

OFFER BY. GOVERNMENT

The Government has decided to offer a •bonus of £10,090 for any process which will effect substantial improvements in the methods of flax production in New Zealand, resulting in decreased costs and better quality. In making an, announcement to the above effect on Saturday, 'the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. G. W. Forbes) pointed out that the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. 'Sir Joseph Ward) had .in 1911 offered a substantial bonus for the purpose referred to, and although there Avere minor improvements, the old methods of producing the fibre remained much the same. Mr.

Forbes said he felt hopeful that the bonus uoav offered would lead to re - sults of economic importance to the Dominion.

APPRECIATION EXPRESSED

BY MESSRS LINKLATER AND NAISH, M’s.P.

During the course of a deputation to the Minister of (Lands (Hon. G. W. Forbes), in Palmerston North last evening, reference Avas made to the recent grant of £19,000 made by the Government for a major invention to improve'(New Zealand flax preparation processes. Mr. J. Linklater, M.P., Avho with his felloAv member, Mr. J. A. Nash, introduced the deputation, took the opportunity of thanking the Minister ion behalf of tire industry, for an action Avhieh should have the effect of stimulating research into improved methods of flax preparation.

--The Minister, in reply, stated that Avhile considerable improvements had taken place on the cultivation side of the flax industry, the mechanical side had lagged behind. In 1911, a subsidy had been offered for any valuable major in\ention but so far no machine had been patented which had been of sufficient importance to earn this

•CAvard. The deficiency of. inven-

tions in this connection appeared /in some measure to be a reflection upon the inventiveness of this young Dominion. It was hoped that the £IO,OOO just- voted Avould serve as stimulus to stir inventors to further efforts. The flax industry had not progressed mechanically as other industries had done but it was hoped that this handicap would be overcome.