NATIVE FLAX FABRIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24411, 24 September 1940, Page 9

NATIVE FLAX FABRIC

USED IN MAKING FURNITURE NEW INDUSTRY INVADES 'THE FIRESIDE The flax industry is very much in the news just now, for flax may well become one of New Zealand's leading industries. But it is not with the product of the new, finer grade flax seed that we are interested—that is something that only the future will reveal. The native flax of New Zealand was much used, and beautifully used, by Maoris for clothing, mats and decorative purposes. Harakeke or native flax was handled to a great extent by the women of the tribe. In the flax industry, as in all other Maori occupations, there were specialists who had received a definite course on the subject, including a knowledge of the magic of the craft. The Maoris selected for their work clean and unspotted leaves of from 12 to 18 months' growth ana only the upper portions were used. The fibre was stripped from the upper side, well scraped with shell to remove the cuticle, and for the best results was soaked in running water for four days, then beaten with stones or mallets and this operation was repeated over and over again for from four to five weeks. Then it was hung to dry, the women working and twisting it by hand. The fibre was tremendously strong with a breaking strain of from 210 to 2751 b. The operation was very slow but the completed flax fibre was very soft and durable. The native phormium tenax has. in recent years, been used with a great measure of success to assist a major industry. Through the ingenuity of Mr Robert Coghill. of Dunedin, it has been woven to provide woolpacks—the coarse material proving very suitable for the rough handling and tremendous strain imposed upon it during the baling process. But now a new and entirely different use has been found for this woven flax. In Scoullar and Chisholm's window at the moment is a New Zealand-made suite, covered with New Zealand-made woolpack. The finished job is neat and practical—it has an air of long life about it that will appeal to folk who must have a covering that will stand up to extreme hard wear, and what is more important to manv people—it is cheap and enduring. This suite is a very interesting example of New Zealand workmanship and is well worth your inspection. The suite could be completed with loose covers in printed furnishing materials or could be treated with inset panels of chosen materials that would harmonise with the woolpack itself. As it is in a neutral colour the woolpack covering would blend perfectly with any existing or proiected colour scheme. It is quite possible that the woolpack could be either colour-printed or stencilled or completely dyed to any selected shade This is only a beginning. When import restrictions came into being a humorist remarked that flax might well become an essential part of our future scheme of life. We. like the Maoris, might be dependent upon flax mats and hangings, flax baskets and clothing—but after seeing this experimental suite, upholstered in this so-laughed-at-material, we can only say that we could do worse than use the material at our hand. The craftsmen who made this particular suite say that the unusual texture of the material presented one or two problems not met with in the usual course of upholstering, but are quite sure with increased use any problems presented could be overcome quite easily. Judging from the results achieved by Scoullar and Chisholm, Ltd., in working with the product of the native flax there appears to be great possibilities for this industry. And the experience gained in working with it may well prove of inestimable value when they begin working with the new and finer grades that it is proposed to cultivate in New Zealand—24.