FUTURE OF FLAX.

Shannon News, 20 March 1923, Page 3

FUTURE OF FLAX.

MILLERS PUT THEIR CASE. MINISTER SYMPATHETIC. ' After the visitors to the flax demonstration" at the Miranui mill on Thursday had inspected the expen. Ynental plots and .the methods of cut. ting the leaf in the swamp, they weiu entertained fit luncheon in the large dinmg hail at'the mi.l, the president of the New Zeaiand FlaxmilLers’ Association, Mr. Alfred Seifert, presiding. . Before -dispersing several speeches W!ere made which further emphasised the importance of the industry and the need for a&sistanoe in carying on the valuable research work so ably begun. In extending a welcome to the visitors at the luncheon, Mr A. Seifert (pi’esident of the New Zealand Flaxmillers’ Association) . read a number;, of : apologies from some I leading ' authorities who fully intended being present. He was particularly sorry that Mr Dollomore, of the. New. Zealand Paper Millers’ Association could not be present, as he Hould no doubt be in a position to t give some Information about the con-, .'version, of .'flax into paper. However, there .was not sufficient hemp leaving , ,New. Zealaifd to keep up with the ■" tvoHd’s demand, consequently it was. losing grouhd. With its use for the manufacture of paper there was absolutely no limit to "the world’s de? Jiiahd. Mi; Seifert touched upon the great possibilities of flax, vthich could do so much, he said, to support New : Zealand ill a time of depression. As . tfj.ey alHuiew, at the present time the chief ’ industries were dairying and ' shppp■ farming, and the latter had v brightened up recently wfiild;-there, was a possibility of the daifying industry experiencing a de- , pr.ession.. It would be a mistake to confine themselves .to dairying and sfigepitalone; .Some seventeen months ago.the speaker had conferred with Mr. . H.v Akers and Mr R. T. Bell, and Mr ■Smerle had pointed out that they would' have to go in for scientific work •' to -improve the average quality of the ; flax‘ 'plant; to revive the industry. They then put. a sum of money into

the 'fund, and'this was subsidised to the extent of £l5O by .the Government..' They had spent a sum of £530 "to da’te, arid were now more or less at the end of the tether and would possibly wait upon the Government at a’jater date wtih a view to getting help to carry on the work. However,; jh£y asked -for criticism. If the representatives assembled had any suggestions they: would be welcome, as they wanted to do* the best thing to preserve the industry. The flaxmillers' had a certain amount of practical knowledge, whereas the Agricultural Department, had scientific knowledge, and together, combined with the nelp of other institutions, their collaboration should prove fruitful, as 'the prospects looked very bright indeed. Many difficulties had been / faced, including the yellow leaf. Now was the crucial period, and it meant that either the flax industry would be wiped out altogether or else the experience gained in fighting the present difficulties would put the industry on a better footing than ever it had been Before. Those present had seen the procedure adopted for overcoming the difficulties, and they would now be able to form a better idea of the possibilities of the industry. Personally; said Mr Seifert, he had been engaged in flaxmilling for the past thirty years, but he frankly confessed that he did not know anything- about flax cultivation until recently, q.nd he was indebted to Mr Smerle for the knowledge, he had recently gained. He -now realised that in growing flax as much could be done in 3$ years as what was previously thought would take seven years. They had spent £530 in carrying out the work to date, and the knowledge gained was invaluable. So much still remained to be done and «o much was only half completed that the experimental work must not stop for want of funds. The millers wanted the public’s goodwill and support. “At all events,” concluded Mr Seifert, "we want to get there; we want this industry to survive, as undoubtedly with care and attention it will.” (Applause). Professor Easterlield, at the outset, referred with pleasure to his acquaintance with Mr Seifert, whom he had first visited iji July, 1015, iq regard to the industry. do think that what Mr Seifert has said has not been strong enough, even regarding the industry from a national point of view. The only other industry which is exclusively a native of New Zealand is the kauri gum, and as New Zealanders we must see that- the flax industry must not be allowed to weaken.” What the 'visitors had seen must surely have revolutionised their ideas. The possibilities of liemp for paper-making were, immense, and-, if a greater yield per .acre could be obtained, thereby reducing the price, flax could be used, not only for low grade, - ; but in the manufacture of high.gradc paper. As far back as the year 1836 .. paper w'as made in England from New , Zealand flax, and there was a book printed oil this paper in the Turnbull Library, Wellington, at the present time -

The problem of growing l flax was only one side of it. He expressed his heartiest thanks to the president, Mr Seifert, for his very kind invitation.

Hon. W.-Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture, took the opportunity of thanking the president of the Flaxmillers’ Association. He said he had enjoyed the outing very much, and had been particularly impressed by the experimental work carried out. He felt that it was generally recognised that the flax industry represented a big thing to the country, and it probably was the oldest industry in New Zealand. Flax and whale oil were really the first two industries.

“I feel satisfied,” said Mr 1 Noswortlly, “witli the experiments '! have ’ seen carried out and .which r must go on improving the whole of ithe flax industry.” All the former Governments from 1894 had done something, but it had fallen to the period of the present Government to meet numerous difficulties, the greatest of which was the disorganisation caused by the Great War and its terrible aftermath. In 1913 the export of flax was 28,000 tons;, and in 192,3' it had dropped to 9703 tons. 1 This showed very clearly that tfee leaf”, had made great inroads info, the industry, "I am - Satisfied that' the only way we can progress. is - on, scientific lines,” said the ..Minislor., "We are'.- prepared to.: assist all- we .can, t but -unfortunately, since ; I • have Toccupieil; the. positioa of Minister t pf - ;Agri(}ulturef. wei have .V ,Jhurneyed : thko.ughya!sLump ,oand' -are only just

emerging. . . You will understand that though the Government was anx. ions to give assistance it bad no money and when we made the last grant it , was impossiole to do any more. . However, on behalf of the Govern- [ ment, "and I know my colleagues will j be prepared to help, 1 promise to give i assistance to the extent which I think j legitimate. The greatest element of success in everything,however,is self-heip. ' There was no doubt a lot could be I done indeed, considerinwg that the j early knowledge of flax was limited.,; In planting it seemed that the ultimate | object was to eliminate everything that J was inferior, and put in the best. | However, now that they had been [ brought into jfloserr touch with the industry, the members would have a better idea of the subject when dealing iwith the question. (Applause). Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Seit'ert, and in doing so said that it would not be lie- i cessary to say more at the present than that he and his two colleagues, J Messrs W. M. Field and J. Linklater, would be on hand when the deputation waited on the Minister.-

The motion was carried by aoolama. lion.