The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 195, 19 August 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1870.

The report by the Flax Commissioners on the different methods of preparing New Zealand flax has been laid before Parliament, and contains a crude mass of information collected from all available sources ia the colony. The work undertaken by the Commissioners having been a labor of love, it is scarcely fair to criticise too closely the report they have furnished, but it cannot fail to strike anyone attempting to wade through the voluminous correspondence which, in the form ol an appendix, constitutes two- thirds of the pamphlet, that, had a well-digested abstract of the evidence been prepared by the Commissioners it would have found a far larger number of readers, and have been much more calculated to remove auy difficulties that stand in the way of this new industry than the publication of a mass of letters, some of which are evidently written by the inventors of flaxdressing machines, and savor strongly of the advertising columns of a newspaper.

The report itself is divided into three parts, under the heads of " Growth and Culture," "Manufacture" and "Machinery." With respect to the first, the Commissioners have gone to some trouble to ascertain the best means of raising fl ix from seed, bu^, after explaining the different methods, and stating that " it is thus clearly established that flax seed will germinate and grow " — a fact with which we were well acquainted eighteen years ago — they go on to say that " the Natives always transplant it because it takes at least three years to mature flax from seed, while, by transplanting, it may be ready iu two years." Under these circumstances it seems scarcely worth while to adopt the more dilatory process of raising it from seed. We are also told that " the more suitable the soil, the finer the quality of the flax, and again, that the cultivated ground on which flax is grown should be fenced, as cattle will eat it when food is scarce, and also that the reckless burniug of flax land should be put a stop to. None of these suggestions appear to us to contain anything that had not been kuown for many years past.

The encouragement to peruse what the {Commissioners have to say on "mauu'facture" is not very great, for this portion of the report commences with the following words : — " The information received in reply to the queries issued on this branch of the enquiry is rather limited and not very important." However, we extract the following, which is laid down as a rule for the guidance of those intending to engage in this industry, namely, that " wherever flax cannot be laid down at the port of embarkation at £20, leaviug a profit, the manufacture should be discontinued or not commenced, and with a view still further to assist persons engaged in, or wishing to engage in, the manufacture of flax, it may be taken for granted, — (1) That a man will cut half a ton of green flax per day, though expert cutters will cut a whole ton. (2) That six tons of green flax will make one ton of fibre. (3) That three machines will dress five tons per week. (4) That the dressing of the flax will cost about £16 per ton of fibre." The cost of buildings, engines, four machines, &c, as recommended by a Captain Hutton is £1448, and the weekly return of 5 tons, at £20 per ton is £100, which, less £87 per week for expenses and stoppages, leaves a profit of £13 per week, or £676 a year, out of which, of course, the interest of the capital must be paid.

Then we are given descriptions of various machines, and the report concludes with the following suggestions : — " The Commissioners think that it is of the utmost importance that fuller enquiries be made in the English market as to the peculiar condition of fibre, as regards length, softness, color, and fineness, which is best calculated to obtain a ready sale at a remunerative price. This is a task the Commissioners think should be undertaken by the Government ; and as it is of vital importance to tho manufacturers in this

colony, who are now producing a class of fibre which may be unsaleable as not being adapted to the wauts of the English consumers of fibrous material, this information should be obtained with the least possible delay."

Full enquiries iu the English markets, and long reports embodying the result of those enquiries might, and no doubt would, be attended with beneficial results, but it appears to us that the same end might be arrived at in a far simpler aud less expensive manner, namely, by repurchasing from the buyer at one of the sales a small parcel, say half a ton, of the flax that fetched the highest price, aud shipping it back to New Zealand. Samples might be sent all over the country and would speak for themselves as to the "length, softness, color, and fineness" required by home buyers in far plainer and more intelligible terms than would be found in the ablest report that could be written.