FLAX AND TALLOW.

Southland Times, Issue 1155, 29 October 1869, Page 3

FLAX AND TALLOW.

Mr G-. M. Waterhouse, a "Wellington settler at present in London, writing from there on the 10th of August last to the Independent, says: — In the present period of depression in New Zealand, every item of news calculated to throw a cheering light on the future will, I atn sure, he welcomed. It has long heen recognised that the future prosperity of New Zealand is likely to be closely connected with the development of its native flax industry. The hopes that have from time to time been raised on this subject have, however, as yet unfortunately been invariably doomed to disappointment. The quantity of dressed flax sent to England, especially from the southern provinces of New Zea- I land, has, however, gradually increased, j so that it is now well known and ! thoroughly appreciated in the markets of this country. Latterly shipments have been made from Christchurch of flax in its rough undressed state, simply dried as i hay ; but the results have not been allowed to transpire. Prom inquiries I have instituted on this side, I find that these results cannot have been of an unsatisfactory character. Devitt and Hett, flax brokers, while quoting in their last report New Zealand dressed flax at £26 to £40 per ton according to quality, add — " we sold a small lot of flax straw without any dressing for £24 5s per ton." From enquiries from other flax brokers* I learn that good undressed flax straw is. worth more than much of the inferior dressed flax which is sent to this country, and that the fibre is altogether uninjured if sent in this state, even though the flax be packed and pressed in bales like hay— provided it be in the first instance thoroughly dried. If packed damp and allowed to sweat, its value for manufacturing purposes would of course be destroyed. My informants added that the secret of preparing flax straw is known but to one or two manufacturers in this country, and that there was a danger of their conspiring together if unduly heavy shipments were forwarded. As the boiling down of sheep is becoming a matter of some moment in New Zealand, I may add that the tallow brokers inform me that tallow will travel as well (and- far more economically) in cases as in casks. It is continually shipped in this manner from South America. The cases should be made to hold about three or four cwt ; they should be strong, and of uniform size and weight. Owing to the rough mode in which sheepskins are usually forwarded to this market, the pelt is utterly valueless for tanning purposes. The pelt of South American sheepskins is better prepared and often is valued ah from 8d to lOd each. This is, of course, in addition to the value of the wool. To obtain this price, the skin must not be cut in slaughtering, and must be subsequently either soaked in brine or in some cheap arsenical or other preparation in order to destroy all grubs. By a little attention of this sort an increase of 9d per head to the return obtained from boiling-down sheep may readily be realised.