The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 169, 20 July 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1870.

It is pleasing to see among the list of ships that have lately arrived safely at home the names of so many that had left our shores with large parcels of flax on board, thus allaying the fears that at one time existed that it would prove so dangerous a cargo that masters of ships would decline to run the risk of. taking it. But, while it has been abundautly shown that if ordinary care be used iv preparing and packing the flax there is no more danger of its igniting than wool or other freights of a similar nature, we should not 'allow ourselves to grow careless with regard to what is likely to prove one of the staple exports of the colony, but should see that every precaution is taken to ensure its safety and that of the ships ia: which it is conveyed. As the manufacture of this article of commerce spreads though the country we shali find parcels of, it coming iv from out-of-the-way districts, and in many instances brought to the shipping port iv open boats in which it will be exposed to. the action of both the sea and the weather, the effects of which, although they may not be visible ou the outside of the bales, will still exist within, and miiiht, if unattended to, be followed by consequences the most disastrous to life and property. In order to remedy this we should like to see an officer appointed whose duty it should be to carefully examine every bale before it is put on board, and, if necessary, to havH it opened aud dried at the expense, of the shipper, thus affording a guarantee against any parcels of a dangerous nature being phced in the ship's hold.- We trust that it will not be long before small quantities of the fibre will be constantly arriving from the Moutere, Motueka, and various other places on the shores, of Blind Bay, and in such cases the supervision to which we have referred would be invaluable, as it would effectually -remove from the minds of agents and masters of vessels any doubts that might, and very naturally would, exist as .to the conditiou of the car^o they were required to take on board. We learn that in Wellington considerable uneasiness with regard to the Electra on her late voyage .home was felt by those who saw the condition' ;iu. which the. flax was allowed" to obe\ put on . board, and although all fears have, fortunately, been removed byrthe news x)f .her safe arrival,' the fact of their having existed seems to suggest the-1 liecessity of adopting some such precaution as that we "have mentioned before.. ships, are allowed to leave our ports' on voyage's Of any length. ;