FLAX INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 51, 28 January 1938, Page 9

FLAX INDUSTRY

SPECIAL COMMITTEE SET UP. MARKETING ORGANISATION. WELLINGTON Jan. 28. The personnel of a special committee to assist in carrying out a plan for the organisation of the flax industry in accordance with the Industrial Efficiency Act is announced in the Gazette issued last evening. The committee is to be known as the Flax Plan Industrial Committee, and it is to consist of the following members. MR E. J. FAWCETT, technical liaison officer, Department of Agri-

culture, Wellington. MR F. JOHNSON, assistant secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce. Wellington. MR A. H. LONG, farmer, ICaingaroa, Auckland. MR S. H. MADDREN. rope and twine manufacturer, Christchurch.

DR E* MARSDEN, secretary, Depratment of Scientific and Industrial Research, Wellington. MR L. A. NIEDERER, flaxmiller. Southland. MR H. H. PODMORE, flaxmill worker, Foxton. MR P. T. ROBINSON, clerk, Palmerston North. MR 13. 13. WOOD, merchant, Christchurch.

Regulations were also gazetted last evening for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of and effectively carrying out the plan. It is stated that the material provisions of the plan have been submitted to and approved by a majority of the persons engaged as principals in the flax industry, as well as by persons employing a majority of the workers engaged in the industry. The regulations define the functions and powers of the special committee. SUBSIDY ON HEMP EXPORTS. The committee will from time to time recommend to the Bureau of Industry for submission to the Minister of Industries and Commerce the rate of subsidy, if any, to be paid by the Government on ' hemp exported from New Zealand. Any such subsidy, after approval by the Minister and subject to appropriation by Parliament, shall enure for a period of five years, and may be renewed. However, any sifth subsidy can/be reviewed within the five-year period, and be adjusted from time to time, such adjustment, to have regard to the cost of production of reasonably efficient mills and a reasonable margin of profit, and to market prices for hemp exported from New Zealand. On being requested to do so by the bureau, the committee is to make recommendations on all applications referred to it by the bureau for licenses which may be required under the Industrial Efficiency Act in respect of the flax industry or any branch thereof. RECORDS TO BE KEPT.

Every miller shall keep, and regularly and promptly make up and enter, either at the mill or at some other convenient .place to be notified by him to the committee, such books of accounts, invoices, and other documents and records of his flaxmilling business as are usually kept by persons employed in the like business, and such other books, documents, and records as the committee may notify or may in any case by notice to the miller require. Every miller shall at all reasonable times permit all such books, documents and records to be inspected by any officer of the committee, and shall, whenever requested, supply to the committee. such information as it may require in connection with his business. The committee may from time to time at its discretion require any person other than a miller selling or otherwise dealing in flax or phormium products to observe any one or more of the requirements of this regulation.

Tile committee will, as soon as possible, make recommendations to the bureau with a view to the immediate establishment, through the Department of Agriculture, of an advisory service for flaxmillers, such service being designed to make available to flaxmillers the most up-to-date information in regard to improvements in the methods and machinery used in the processing of phormium fibres. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. From time to time the committee will take into consideration the advisability of giving financial assistance with respect to the development and improvement of lands used or to be used for the cultivation of flax and the erection of buildings, and acquisition of plant and materials to be used in connection with the growing of flax or production of phormium products. If, in the opinion of the committee, it is desirable that assistance should be given, it shall make a recommendation to that effect to the bureau, and shall set out in its recommendation the nature and extent of the assistance recommended and the grounds of the recommendation. The committee is tq be responsible to the bureau for the efficient organisation in the interests of the industry of the marketing of phormium products in New Zealand and overseas, whether or not such products have been acquired on behalf of the comi mittee. It may make such arrangements or such recommendations to the bureau for necessary authority as it thinks proper, for the efficient orga--1 nisation of marketing, and in particular for the following matters: (a) 1 for the handling, pooling, disposal, transport and storage of any phoriiiium products; (b) for the shipment i of any phormium products that are intended for export; on such terms and in such quantities as the committee think fit; (c) for the insurance against loss of any such phormium products; (d) for the production of standard specifications governing any process or products involved in flaxmanufacture, and in particular for such grading to standards as may be deemed necessary by appropriate committees of the New Zealand Standards Institute; (e) generally for all such matters as are necessary to ensure adequate supplies of suitable grades of phormium products as required ill various markets. DOMESTIC MANUFACTURE. The committee is to consider what action can be taken to develop the domestic manufacture ot textiles, cordage and like materials from flax in such manner as may lie necessary to ensure* a maximum economic consumption of phormium products in New Zealand. As occasion warrants, the committee will make recommendations to the bureau for submission to the Minister as to any Government protection deemed to be necessary for tlie development of the domestic textile industry, indicating whether such protection should be given by means of restricted importations of raw or manufactured phormium products or in any other manner. The committee from time to time will consider the rate of royalties payable for flax supplied to mills, and may make such recommendations to the bureau as to control of royalties as it considers desirable in tlie interests of the industry. It is to establish and maintain in consultation with the Department of

Scientific and Industrial Research a properly staffed and equipped research organisation, with the object of investigating all problems associated, with the growing, manufacture and utilisation of flax, and in particular the selection, breeding, propagation and distribution of flax-plants of approved varieties. The committee will consider and report to the bureau on the establishment and operation under the committee’s own supervision of an experimental commercial mill with a productive capacity of approximately 300 tons of hemp per annum. PURCHASE AND USE OF LAND.

The committee will make a survey of available flax areas, with a view to the utilisation of areas for the following purposes: The supply of flax (including cultivated leaf) to the mill, for research purposes; (b) the propagation and cultivation of flax-plants of approved varieties; (c) experimental work on the planting, cultivation, harvesting and utilisation of flax; (d) any other purpose considered by the committee to be necessary for the carrying out of the general functions of the committee.

If, in the opinion of the committee, the purchase of any particular area or areas by the Crown is desirable the committee shall make recommendations to the bureau accordingly. Every person who fails to make in accordance with the regulations any return required thereby, or who makes any such return which is false or misleading in any particular, shall be guilty of an offence. Every person who commits such an offence shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a penalty not exceeding £lO, or, in the case of a continuing offence, to a penalty not exceeding £lO for. every day on which any such offence is committed or continued.