THE FLAX BONUS

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4422, 4 March 1930, Page 4

THE FLAX BONUS

GOVERNMENT AS FAIRY

GODMOTHER

‘‘Grower’’ writes as follows to the Wiellignton Evening Post: — “1 think it is generally recognised that 11a,x is the Cinderella industry of New Zealand. It is the only industry that is native to the country, the phormium plant being found nowhere else in the world, except Norfolk Island. Of course, 'the plant has now been transplanted to other countries, and is being grown on a commercial scale in South America and elsewhere. In New Zealand ilax has given way to the sheep and the cow, many thousands of acres of good flax being destroyed to make pastures. It was recognised in the early days of j the colony that the plant contained \a .valuable fibre, the Maori having used it for clothing and a consider- , able trade was done with the Native dressed fibre. But as the Na- ■ tive method of extracting tire fibre was very slow, as the Maori learned to vabie his labour, he asked too high a price for the trade to continue. Then about 18'G(i a. machine eras invented to extract the fibre. This machine with minor improvements has been in use ever since, but, unfortunately, produces a lib re very inferior to the Native dressed, and consequently flax has never ta - ken a very prominent place amongst our primary, industries, ‘and about the only land now reserved for growing is swamp of little use for any other purpose.

“The industry sadly wants a fairy godmother, and the Government has intimated that it wishes to li]l the role by waving a wand in the shape of a £IO,OOO bonus, to bring about an improved method of extracting the libre. Now the magic of the fairy is not the magic of our modern civilisation. Our magic is science and invention, and if a wand is to be waved to any purpose, it must be waved in a scientific manna*.

“Now the Government in offering the bonus has made such unscientific stipulations (as pointed out by “Flaxie” in your columns recently) that I am afraid the magic won’t work. ’Cinderella lias two proud sisters —Manila and Sisal. Ma-chine-dressed New Zealand hemp lias in the past had lo compete with the lower grades of these fibres, and has'been dominated by their • market. But they are only half-; sisters. The full sisters of the phormium are the soft fibres, jute, Russian, and Italian hemps, etc., and for New Zealand hemp to take its proper place in the fibre market, it must go back to its soft fibre family. One of the conditions to he complied with in the Government’s offer of a bonus is that the fibre must be graded “good fair.” This is a hard fibre grade and should lie eliminated from the conditions. “This country at one time was principally dependent on the export of wool for its livelihood. A time came when the population increased to such an extent that wool alone could not adequately support it. Fortunately some brainy individual invented the freezing machine, which made the carcass valuable as well as the wool, and enabled the sheep to carry us on for a further term. Then came the dairy industry, to Ihe rescue, but now the time lias arrived, as indicated )ty (lie number of unemployed, when a still more intensive method of using the land is imperative. Why not turn to the cultivation of our native phormium for our next slop forward? Just a few figures to show the possibilities. “It takes about 50 acres of: good land to support a family by dairying. Half this area planted in flax should produce at least 400 tons of green leaf per annum, worth (at present rates being paid for cutting rights) £220; and worth 'cut £3BO, and worth delivered at mill about £SOO. One man could attend to cut from 25 acres and probably deliver. Taking £3BO as gross income and deducting interest at fi pel* cent, on land at £OO per acre ■ leaves a. net income of £2OO. “The land then under llax could narry double the population. The above figures are based on present conditions. There is one difficulty with llax, i.e., that it takes about four years to come into bearing, but this is no worse than in the fruit industry. Now, if our fairy godmother sho.uld introduce our Cinderella to her , fairy prince in the person of an inventor who would improve the method of extraction of the fibre, either by improving (he product or by cheapening the process, what great possibilities there are. 1 am not “again Itho Government” and give it credit for foresight in offering the bonus, but 1 do think the officials who prepared the terms of the offer want a shake up. “Tiliora!” Why should an inventor wait till November, 193.1, before being able to submit iiis claim* Why not appoint a committee now, consisting of, say, a practical engineex*, a fibre expert, and a chemist, to examine any propositions put forward, and with authority to assist in the try out of the most promising devices submitted.”