THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, July 29, 1832.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 94, 29 July 1852, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, July 29, 1832.

Having written so frequently respecting the wealth to be derived by an extensive and skilful culture of the soil:-we deem it incumbent to make a few observations about the best means of augmenting the supplies of what may, not inaptly, be termed the gold of New Zealand,—ils native flax. It is a mailer of infinite regret that the preparation of this valuaWe, spontaneous, article should be so tedious as to render the quantity brought to market altogether unequal to the demand. Il is also much to be regretted that all the mechanical skill and ingenuity applied in conversion of the green leaf to a merchantable commodity have hitherto proved failures. Nothing has yet been invented to supersede the native mode of cleaning; and it is a grievous pity, at a moment like this when flax is so much in demand in England, thai ihc natives arc unable to bring the article in large and con-

linuous supplies. Mr. E. W. Trent, a London ropc-makor, in a recent lcllcr on the immense importance of New Zealand Flax, furnishes a variety of interesting information respecting the plant, which it is very desirable our native readers should lie made acquainted with. Speaking of llie newjprocess,—lie says, flax, so prepared, sold in London for only S.W per ton; whilst flax prepared by the natives realized £si per tonand had llie native (lax been packed like that shipped from' Manila and other flax-growing countries, it would have readily fetched £4O. Mr. Trent complains of the bad practice of twisting the lino flax of New Zealand. Tins causes it lo bo exceedingly expensive liv hackling,—the cost of dressing Russia hemp being only about a shilling a hundred weight, whilst that of New Zealand costs eight shillings, and all this because of -twisting the flax into wisps, to which llio English dressers have given llie name of "rats tails." If this injurious practice were avoided, the native flax dresser would obtain a considerably larger price for his flax. The great intrinsic excellence of New Zealand flax is, every day, becoming more obvious to the English manufacturer. A gum-like bark, says Mr. Trent, is frequently found adhering to the fibre. This when worked up into cordage, gives the rope a rush-like appearance. At first the rope is spongy and open; but gradually the barktike substance wears out, the fibres come loose and open, the vacancies gel filled with water and dirt, and the rope wears

out; but if properly cleansed, there would {says Mr. Trent) lx: no rope in llie world

equal lo it. Mr. Tiviii mentions many tests of its strength; in which il surpassed tlr.U ol every oilier ll.w. "There never," continues Mr. Trent, " was :i period when the New Zealand flax could lie introduced (into England) to better advantage than at the present time. .Manila hemp almost at a prohibitory price ranging from '. ;>() to £7O per ton. No donht if the New Zealand l-'lax wen; introduced in a cleansed slate il would soon range side by side with Manila, Willi this dillercnec that after the New Zealand rope was worn oul, it would fetch £lO per ton for paper making, while llie Manila is worthless. "NYha l is wanted is thisestablish machinery in the Colony for cleansing the Ilax, to work in connexion with Ihe native process, overlooked by a person well versed in the English market to instruct them iu sorting and packing the flax, and branding it according to quality; in this way llio article would soon have a name in the market, and I have no hesitation in saying, that 10,000 bales annually would meet, with cash purchasers." A sample of ropes, made of New Zealand flax, was shown by Mr.'l renl at the great Exhibition in London, and all raited much attention. And, indeed, so valuable an article of commerce is flax—and so superior in estimation is that of New Zealand, that the attention of oilier countries is being directed lo the culture of similar sorts of

plants, in the hope of deriving ii largo prolil from their produce. | These arc matters well deserving the most; serious attention of unlive indiisirv. Pro- j re lias abundantly provided the means which may be rendered productive of vast, and increasing wealth. It is not for the j mere manufacture of wool lashing and : cordage that New Zealand flax is alone i available. Hv a newly discovered process, j its finer fibres can be converted to the man- j nfaeluro of the. finest and most expensive j cambrics—its lower qualities to the production of rope and canvas—and even its refuse to the manufacture of paper. "The hand of the diligent."—saith the great, Solomon,—"maketh rich." The natives of New Zealand have in their flax, the raw material or riches spread abundantly before them. The want of an exportable commodity has been the constant complaint or their European fellow labourers. If the native hand of New Zealand be but diligent the native race of New Zealand will inevitably be rich,—their country great and (lour ishing.