THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9366, 8 February 1909, Page 2

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Mr A. 'Seifert, a well-known miller, writes on' the position of the -industry, in a letter to the Manawatu Times. He points ont that in this indnstry, as in others which depend on outside markets, the increased cost of produotien cannot he passed on to the consumer. He says 4 ‘ Probably half our workmen &re engaged m industries which are unahle to pass on any increase in the coat of production, therefore under artificial conditions these industries must cease to exist. This is a question that will require serious consideration by the employee as well as the employer. Indeed, from the employees’ point of view the tendency to increase wages, limit piece-work, apprentices, and hours In those industries which may he described as “industries for home consumption or local demand.” call, for their most serious attention. As the inevitable effect most be that the cost of living being artificially raised to all workers, those engaged in export industries, by which I mean those products the value of which is governed hy the world’s consumption, Jmust, if they value their own interests, see that the increase granted to the home industries must be capable of application to themselves with which they are associated. To summarise the position, if one body ofsworkers enjoy such forward conditions asjoannot be applied to all bodies of workers, it will mean that those most highly favoured will be exploiting those less happily situated, a state of things to be avoided. This statement is made after a close investigation and study of the natural and uncontrollable laws which govern such things. If artificial conditions are applied to labour then similar conditions must be applied to so that its value may be increased in the same ratio. There are two remedies which suggest themselves. The one, a return to .natural conditions; the other, by a system of “bonus” equal to increases oncost of production brought about bv the artificial conditions above referred to. What does this mean? The workers as a whole would he called upon to subsidise the industry to an amount eqnal to the increase in wages due to any artificial conditions. ~ , „ Mr Seifert institutes the following comparisonsln 1898 the average wage for a “fly-boy” was 6« pel clay for 10 hours. In 1906, before the award came in, the average rate of wages for, a fly-boy was 7s for 9 hours. Under the award, which came in in 1907, his minimum wage is 8s for 8 hours. For scutchers in 1898, the average was 23s per ton, and scutchers had to keep the tow-hole clean. Under the award the minimum wage is 28a per ton, and they do not clean the towbole. Plaxcntting in 1898, say good quality flax, the average price was 5s per ton. Before the award came into force flaxmills could work whatever overtime they thought best. This was a great convenience. Under the award the hours are 48 per week. Millers are only allowed to work three hours overtime at the rate of time and a quarter per week, and time and a half after that. This is typical of all wages throughout the mill. In considering the average price of hemp, it is necessary to take into consideration that the quality for each grade is about 10 points higher to-day than it was eight to ten years ago. Through this we have lost anything that may have been gained by improvements in machinery. It has been stated that millers made flaxmilling pay at £ll per ton some 10 years ago and surprise has been expressed as to why the industry is nnremunerative at the present time when “good fair” is saleable at nearly double tbe above prices. This proposition would appear startling were it true in effect. The proper value of such a statement is assessed when we compare the quantity produced when the former price prevailed'with that of the last few years. Mr Seifert quotes figures from the Year Book and says .—lf these figures prove anything at all they go to show that no hemp worth speaking about was produced at the figure stated, £ll per ton, and therefore it is a fair conclusion to deduce that it did not pay, but on rising from £ll in 1897 to £lB in 1899 the output rose from 2769 tons to 10,371 tons, clearly showing that the raw material was available but that, it did not pay to mill it. Prom that time the price rose steadily and the output increased until it reached in 1907 28,547 tons. He denies that the royalties are the only evil under which the industry is suffering, and says :—The taxation now levied upon flax lands and industry to-day, equals, if it does not exceed, the royalty charged to millers during the time when flaxmilling is alleged to have paid at £ll per ton. In order to prevent those who are already engaged in flax-growing from destroying their crops, and to indace other farmers to take up flax cultivation, they must be assured of receiving the same, or even a higher return, from the land as they would by any other method of farming, for which the land is suited—l say ‘higher” return because of the precarious nature of the industry and the various risks incidental thereto. Mr Seifert concludes as follows : It is only those who have their capital invested in the industry who know how serious the position is, and it behoves every individual of the community to interest himself, treating it not as a local bnt rather as a. national question, so that what promises to be one of our most valuable primary industries may be preserved to continue the benefit which it has undoubtedly become.