NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 70, 8 July 1843, Page 279

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

[From the jVew Zealand Gazette.^' To the Editor of the New Zealand Gazette. Sir — You republish from the Nelson Examiner a letter signed " Linum," on the subject of New Zealand flax. It is important to ascertain if the calculations he makes upon the shipment of a ton of flax are correct ; for, if they are, a very evident loss would be the consequence to the shippers, and the sooner the manufacture is abandoned the better. I differ, however, from the statement' of " Linum," in a very essential point, viz., the price to be obtained for it in England. Many persons who have been connected with the trade, both here and in England, and who have been concerned in it up to a later period than Mr. Enderby, states the price in England to be from £28 to £32 per ton, over a period of several years, for purpose of cordage. This would leave a fair profit to the shippers. Manilla hemp (a much inferior article to New Zealand flax), costs at the place of shipment £19 per ton, and fetches in the London market from £24t0,£26. I should be inclined to state the amount thus : — Cost of a ton of Maori prepared £ s. d. flax on board at Port Nicholson 17 0 0 Freight of one ton weight— one . and one-fifth ton measurement 5 5 0 Insurance at 60 p' cent, on £30 . 018 0 Dock charges and duty as stated * by "Linum" . - . . 011 10 £23 14 10 Brokerage and commission at 5 ' per cent. . . .13 8 £24 18 6 I am, sir, Your obedient servant, X. Evidence on the present State of the ißlands of new zealand, taken beFORE a Committee of the House of Lords, April 6, 1838. C. Enderby, Esq., examined : — Do you, in your firm, make use of New Zealand flax ?■ — We do ; we prefer it to Russian hemp. ." Can you get it much cheaper than the Russian hemp ?—lt? — It costs us less than the Russian hemp does; not per ton, but because the same length is lighter; it does not weigh so much per ton [measurement] ; it is more costly, but we can get for the same weight an increased length and an increased strength. Are you aware whether the Yatch Club have used any of thiß hemp ? — They have. Do you know whether they are satisfied with it ? — I believe not. Do you know whether it was prepared properly ?—lt? — It was prepared under Captain Harris's patent. We worked Captain Harris's patent for some time. The Vernon frigate had some manufactured on Captain Harris's principle; we used it ourselves ; we were, the first year, extremely favourable to it; the fibre was extremely soft, and the cordage softer than cordage usually is; but we found the whole of the solution separate from the flax, rind it was condemned. Afterwards we introduced tar, but the prejudice was se strong against the flax that it is a very difficult thing to introduce it again to parties who are so prejudiced against it ; but I should particularly impress upon your lordships that, for whale-lines, it is considerably preferable to any other, and those are most important in our trade/ I prefer it on account of its strength and its pliability also. ' . Captain R. Fitz Roy, R.N., examined. Have you ever had an opportunity, as commander of any of her Majesty's vessels, or any man-of-war you have served in, of being able to ascertain the quality of rope made from New Zealand flax ? — I have ; I have used it for three years successively: What is your opinion of it ? — I think, if it were properly manufactured, it would make very good rope ; but that there is some defect in the way in which it has been manufactured, for it breaks in the " nip," though it wears a very long time in a straight line; but, whenever it is frequently bent much, it gives way : yet, as the natives use it for' nets three or four fathoms deep, and sometimes three or four hundred fathoms in length, and it lasts them for many years, there must surely be some way of preparing it which would make it available for our rope. A net made in that way is kept by a family on the Btump of a tree, oh a little frame made for it, and lasts them for many years. Have you found that the rope increases much in size, and becomes very stiff? — No, I have not found that effect ; but it does not work up afterwards, into smaller rope, for instance; it is not soft, nor will it absorb water, like hemp ; you cannot make of it what sailorß call swabs (the large rope mops for cleaning the decks) ; but, as the natives make very fine cordage of all kinds, my impression is that there is some defect in our *ray of manufacturing it : either the plant is cut in a wrong time of the year, which the natives perhaps have not told us, or it is not worked up well afterwards. Could it arise from its being packed up, and heating in its way home; would that be likely to make it brittle in the way you have referred to it ? — I think that it is very possible it may pse some particular quality.

Judging Others.— lt looks so moral and so sentimental, to assume a scornful air on occasion of certain faults committed by other people ,• but alas ! how masterly do pride and censoriousness conceal themselves behind that look ! I will accustom myself to change names, and to imagine myself in the room of others — and never to lose tight of myself in criticising others.— : -Laro/«\