NEW ZEALAND FLAX FOR ARTIFICIAL SILK

Shannon News, 3 February 1928, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND FLAX FOR ARTIFICIAL SILK

I Big Market in Prospect; Experiments in England UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES Dr. Marsdeu, Director of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, states that the Department has received advice from England that experiments there have opened up startling possibilities for New Zealand flax. Dr. Marsdeu explained that some time ago Sir Amos Nelson, a largo spinner and manufacturer, of Nelson) Lancashire, visited New Zealand and became interested in flax. He waited upon Dr. Marsdcn and Professor Easterfleld, and they referred him to Mr. Pet rie; the Government flax grader. The result had been that Sir Amos Nelson had taken home with kirn samples of Now Zealand flax with the idea of utilizing it in the manufacture of artificial silk. He found, however, that half-inch flax was too small for spinning purposes. News had now heen received from

Sir Amos Nelson that his chemists h,ad heen successful in producing from flax a fibre two-inch in length, with an excellent lustre, which he considered would make a valuable mixture for cotton and woollen goods. If he were able to spin this successfully, Sir Amos Nelson stated, he would be able to absorb the whole of the output of New Zealand flax for the next five years. The experiments had not yet been completed, but he did not see why they should not be successful. In speaking of the value of scientific research to the industries of New Zealand at a dinner in Wellington on Friday evening Professor Easterfleld made special reference to the applica tion of chemical research to flax pro duetion, remarking that the average New* Zealander did not seem to realize what there was in it.

If scientific investigation had been given to flax in the past as it should have been, our exports would now be at least ten times as great as they were. In Lancashire they were attempting to .make, a material resembling, wool from Now Zealand flax, and he would like to think that that advance was the result of experiments conducted by New Zealanders. Nevertheless, it was very satisfactory to know that such work was being attempted, and he hoped it would be successful, for it held enormous possibilities.

The New Product SOME AMAZING FIGURES.. A sample of the product made by Sir Amos Nelson from New Zealand fibre was shown to a "Times" representative last evening by Mr. Alfred Seifcrt. It is of purest white, and closely resembles a silky wool. Indeed, it is' difficult to ..imagine that such beautiful texture and colour is possible from our New Zealand fibre, and the result shows the amazing possibilities of the industry. Dr. Marsden states that the whole output of the Dominion for five years to come can be absorbed by this new discovery, but Mr. Scifert points out that there arc greater possibilities still if artificial silk can be made, profitably from phormium. For the year 192 G New Zealand produced 17,23 S tons of hemp and 3560 tons of fibre, the area under flax for that year being 69,420 acres. But to understand what illimitable expansion may lie ahead of the industry it is only necessary to compare it with cotton, the products of which are being very seriously assailed by artificial silk. The world produces about 20,000,000 bales of cotton per year, weighing approximately 4,000,000 tons. Consider' this quantity in relation to New Zealand's flax production, which in its maximum year, reached only 28,547 tons, and some idea of the possible expansion may be obtained. Artificial Silk Development. The story of the artificial silk trade has been one of the romances of modern industry, and its, growth in Britain alone has been amazing. During the first nine months of 1927 the output amounted to 27,450,0191 b, as compared with 18,755,4221 b during the corresponding period of the previous year, an increase of about 50 per cent. The output during the first three quarters of 1927 was actually larger than the whole of the previous year's production, which came to 25,457,551!b. If phormium fibre can be made profitably into artificial silk, then it is

quite obvious that the flax industry 13 destined to become one of the country's greatest wealth producers.