MEW ZEALAND HEMP.

Shannon News, 26 September 1924, Page 3

MEW ZEALAND HEMP.

LONDON COMMISSIONER VISITS MIRANUI. On Wednesday, Mr A. Seifert, president of N,Z. Flaxmlllers' Association, 'arranged for the Manawatu millers to meet Mr S. G. Manhiro, of the High Commissioner's Office, tondon. Luncheon 1 was provided at the Miranui mivU, Sand x the following gjentlenien were present and inspected the premisses, besides making a visit/to the ! plantations and swamps: Messrs S. C. I Manhire (assistant Trade and Pro- { duoe Commissioner, London), W. Pet- } rie . (chief hemp grader, W. Ferris \ (assistant), and the following millers j and officials: Messrs A. Seifert (president) A. A. and Geo. Brown. (Waikanae), R, T. Bell, Norman Gibbons and G. A. Loughhan (Palmerston North), Frank Wall (Martinborough), T. H. Greedy and H. A. Seifert (executive officers of Miranui mill). A FRIENDLY GHAT. Mr Petrie introduced the principal t guest, at the same time thanking Mr I Seifert, on behalf of the Department, for according Mr Manhire an opportunity of visiting the largest flax mill in New Zealand, and to inquire into conditions generally. Mr Manhire also expressed appreciation of the chance accorded the speaker of acquiring information in connection with the hemp industrv. and said: "The staff of the and Produce branch consists of eight men, three male cadets and three typistes. It is the function of the section to receive, collate and disseminate information relating to all lines of New Zealand prodluce—wool, meat, dairy produce 1 and hemp. It is responsible for. securing market quotations, looking into the conditions aiid ascertaining such information as will enable it to cable out reliable reports and prices besides special reports called for from time to time." Despite the establishment of the Meat and Dairy Control Boards, the prestige and status of, the High Commissioner's office still necessitated the calling in of its services. The trade section dealt with the state of the whole trade of the Dominion, exports and, imports, assisted buyers, secured business agencies, purchased for the Government and shipped its orders from. England. It had placed direct orders last year amounting to £400,000 for such Departments as the railways, Public Works,, Post and Telegraphs, Printing and Stationery, while the office was flinstirumejntal hi carrying through contracts totalling £1,000,000 for the same period. : "We have created a, good-will and have no difficulty in getting the information necessary to. form opinions on which tor base lair quotations," said the speaker. "The reports transmitted are impartial and we do our best to. send you the information we consider of most service without submitting individual reports that may, perhaps, neglect facts not known, to one section, but known to the other."

DRAWBACKS AT HOME. A difficulty that was. experienced was tihe small, amount of good fibre coming forward, and the grading of their "high point fair" and "low point fair." "You do not appear to be getting the leaf you did in the old days. But are you making, the best use of the leaf that you are getting? The question was prompted by complaints from merchants at Home, and one rope-maker in Whitechapel showed me some very bad tails. He 'had to cut awav a third, with the result that the particular line "had worked out at cost of £SO per ton, and he was naturally dissatisfied." ;. Most complaints, however, were over bad scutching. "High point fair" was about £42 per ton, and Manila £4o— they sure that that is the best return thev should get? ."."',.'■ There should be no . uncertainty about the purchaser getting what he wanted and the sorting was another matter that did not always give him

satisfaction. A little extra expense in overcoming grading difficulties would; give buyers more confidence and create that good will "necessary when the ma>ket is coming down—-booming markets can look after themselves.

"Although I am voicing a few. complaints, they are not the order of the day. In 'view, of the number of trans* a«tions in. the hemp market, the industry is carried out as ..well as any other. Remember that the buyer has no redress;' work together as well as you can, get him educated to on your own mark if possible." (Applause). RESEARCH IN INDUSTRY. , .

"I am greatly interested in what 1 have seen here to-day in connection with research work in. the industry. For what he is doing in the raising of the best varieties of fibre, Mr Seifert is >to be commended and is worthy of the thanks of all in the industry.. If I were Mr Seifert, 1 don't think I would he so ready to let you know what I was growing. ' (Laughter). Y.QU are getting a good price for your hemp—spare a little for experimental work. Show the Government that you are out to help yourselves, and you will have a better chance of getting the subsidy so .necessary to the development of the industry. "In conclusion, I would like you. to realise that the High Commissioner's Office is out to do the best for New Zealand. Bear in mind' the number of things we have to do,-and if we do. not strike the right technicality, remember.we are not experts. But from what 1 have gathered during my visit to New Zealand. I will be in a much better position to watch your interests. 1 ' (Applause). CAUSE THAT LACKS ASSISTANCE. Mr A. Seifert pointed" out that no body Of men had done more to help themselves than the flaxmillers, he regretted that they could not get the Government to recognise that-fact when the "yellow leaf" crisis arose, «r at the present time, when experimental work was so necessary to the life of such •an important industry, both from the viewpoint of improving the leaf, and the machinery for the treatment. Mr Seifert added that their chief difficulty was to standardise the industry. In other industries the article was more uniform, but one rake of flax would produce nice-ly-coloured fibre, while the next carried more than its proportion of redtipped flax. In this they were up . against something difficult to control—the lack of uniformity and varia- - tions in the raw material. With its penchant for New Zealand should be able to produce machinery more satisfactorily to clean and class their flax.

With reference ltd the gathering, Mr« Seifert said be thought he would take advantage of.Mr Manhire's presence in New Zealand to hold an informal meeting of millers at Miranui to meet him. The High Commissioner's Office was of tremendous importance to their business. Nearly all their.hemp was exported, and nearly all of it went to. London as the distributing centre, for the Continent as well as England. Personal acquaintance with the Dominion's Trade and Produce Commissioner was, therefore, a necessity. They looked upon his visit as a very good thing from the point of view of the primary producers 1 generally arid from that of their - own business. He hoped that his visit would be the fore-runner of others and that • the 1 Government would frequently'send officials to New Zealand to tour the country and pet' into touch with its. requirements. He was sure he was echoing the feelings - of all present when he said: "I am very glad to see you here." (Applause). Messrs R. T. Bell. C. A. Loughnan, and F. Wall also added a few words Appropriate to the occasion."