NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 15, 17 January 1874, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

['Home News' Novemde'r 14.J

It i 3 always with pleasure we refer to any indication of the products of the Australias being property estimated in the markets of the world. The utilisation of these products is yet in its infancy, and. consequently, the profit derivable therefrom comparatively small. Every manifestation of progress is of importance, and in connection with this 'Home News' readers will be pleased to hear that one of the prime products is having fair opportunity for distinguishing itself accorded to it. We have over and over again reported progress in the matter. Less than three years ago, it may be remembered, the Phormium was condemned for roping purposes, because of tlie gum adhering to the fibre. Since then pratical proofs of its equality with the best hemps of the world has been demonstrated over and over again. Then came the diflieuli-y of spinning and of weaving. That these have long ago been overcome to some extent, our readers already know. We are now enabled to furnish one further and very conclusive illustration of the same.

There is being held at Dundee—to which place jute, although a comparative stranger, is the chief source of wealth— au Art Exhibition; and in this Exhibition phormium tenax occupies a prominent position. Of the case containing the specimens, we ore informed that it is pertain, to prove a great attraction to all

interested it» manufactures. Alongside of ; this case stands one fitted up by the Messrs Cox Brothers, filled with jute manufactures, on which too much praiae cannot be bestowed, while opposite is a case of flax and hemp, yarns Jand cloth, irom the Messrs Baxter Brothers, that could hardly be surpassed. There i& thus the meanß at haud of comparing the products fr om phormium tenax with splendid examples of linen and jute goods. AH things considered, "JN'ew Zealand Flnx " — like jute when first brought under notice — -has not hitherto been favorably regarded by manufacturers. This is easily accounted for. The fibre, as originally sent to this country, was quite unfit for the spinning of yarns or the manufacture of fabrics. Its cost also acted as a deterrent from experimenting on an extensive scale. About twenty years ago a. series of careful experiments were made on it in Dundee by the first house in the linen trade. The result of these experiments ia described iv n letter, dated May Ist, 1871, sent by Mr Sturrock, seecretary to the Chamber of Commerce; to the secretary of the Board of Trade : — " It was examined chemically, and was spun both into yarns and manufactured into cloth, and the result then arrived afc was that it was quite unfit to compete with or be suitable for such manufactures as are produced from European flax." A few years ago several public-spirited gentlemen in the colony made special efforts to prepare the fibre so as to make it more acceptable to manufacturers in this country. Ila suitability for the manufacture of rope has been long acknowledged, but what the colonials aim at is to demonstrate that it may also be profitably employed in the msuufacture of cloth. Attention has therefore been greatly directed to the dressing of the fi«x. The great drawback in the wuy of the successful preparation of the fibre on an extensive scale is the presence of a peculiar glutinous gum in the sheash of the leaf. When not thoroughly removed, this gum, which becomes very hard, cuts the fibres of the flax like a knife when being twisted in the process of manufacture. Besides, the gum has a tendency when the cloth made from the fibre gels damp, to decompose and rot the fabric. These, it will be acknowledged, are serious drawbacks, and on the successful removal of this gummy matter depends the utility of the plant and its usefulness for textile purposes. It is unnecessary to refer to the various proceases which have been tried from time to time to effect the rornovalof this gum and bring the fibre to a condition that would ensure its acceptance in this country. It is only, we believe, some four years since anything like a systematic effort to introduce a good suitable fibre into this country was made. In ' 1870 the Assembly of New Zeataud urged upon the Government the necessity of aiding aud fostering experiments with the fibre, aud a commission was appointed to collect information in En»laud respecting the manufacture of Phormium tenax./ This commission visited the mote important manufacturing centres iv tins country — Dundee included. They found that manufacturers possessed a more/oi less practical acquaintance with the flax as ordinarily dressed, and that there wa3 " a general impression that it was not adapted, from what appeared to them to be the nature of its fibre, for any spinning purposes whatever." This was the experience of tho commissioners in Dundee, Arbroath, Leeds, Manchester, and, in short, wherever they weuvt, "At Kirkcaldy,'" tbey stated in their report, " Messrs Lockhart very kindly put a strike through their machinery to convince us of its wpnt of adaptation for spinning even as a substitute for low-priced jute bagging; and everywhere else wa are told that while the fibre broke short off like » stick, vk it is at present prepared, it would prove Unfifc for their use." This, it should! be stated, refers solely to samples of fibre prepared by the colonists. The commissioners had a small sample of nativedressed fibre, and on showing this \to several of Ihe manufacturers visited I a different opinion of the future of the fibre wus expressed. The natives have \ simple and most effective way of cleaning^ the fibre, but ifc would be obviously much too expensive to prove remunerative were it to be carried out on an extensive scule. They select with great care the best leaves of the best plants, and only use a portion of the fibre on one side of the leaf. They scrape tho leaf with a shell or knife wheu in the fresh green slate. It is then soaked in cold water and dried. By this means a fibre of fine quality in the leaf is obtainable by this process, great loss of material and waste of labour ia involved in the operation. Although suitable for native requirements, ifc ia entirely unfitted for producing large and constant supply.

The specimens shown by the commissioners served to demonstrate the practicability of producing a fibre calculated to remove the prejudice entertained against/ "New Zealand flax." About the time/ if we mistake not, that the commissioners visited this country, Mr N. T.Lockhort, of Kirkcaldy wrote to a Nelson newspaper — "Flax as at present prepared is quite un-, fit for spinning purposes and the manu/ fact u ring of, fabrics. * * * Tl/e people of Nelson have the idea that it v/ill do well for canvass, bagging, and vrpolpacks. This is a mistake j it cannojT be spun into yarn as at present prepared in New Zealand." The contents of thfe case show that the difficulties are at leW irf a fair way to be overcome, if, indeed, they have not been entirely removed. Stimulated by the encouragement/ offered by the New Zealand Government, the colonists are exerting themselves in various ways to produce a fib?e equal to native prepared. More attention is also being paid to its cultivation, and premiums have been offered for the manufacture within the colony of corn sack?, woolpacks, and gnnny ba^s. We are not aware whether any of these premiums have been claimed. It is . the preparation that is of most interest 'to home manufacturers, and if it can be shown that raw material capable of producing a class of goods equal to those exhibited can be supplied at less cost, than real flax\ there is little doubt of a ready market\being obtained for all that the colonists canNsend home. A large quantity of the goods"Tn the case have been sent for exhibition by Mr Cornelius Thome, of London. Three years ago Mr Thorne took out a patent W "improvements in hackling machinery, ap/ plicable especially to phormium tenax&m other long fibres. Specimens of the fib*e as prepared by Mr Thorne are shown, L well as yarn and cloth spun and man ilactured from the same. The caie contains the material in all its stages from the leaves of the plant to the manufactured cloth. Ifi is pretty evident that thfe phormium is quite suitable for the purA poses to which the real flax is applied. The question remains, can it be applied at » price that will make it worth the while of anyone adapting their machinery— for we presume some alteration may be necessary — to manufacture it on a large scale ? It rests chiefly with the colonists to answer the question.