THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Southland Times, Issue 1226, 22 March 1870, Page 2

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

MR FRASER'S WORKS. On Thursday last an opportunity of visiting the above works presented itself, and we willingly took advantage of it. Mr Eraser bad promised tbat "he would , let us know " when a trip across the i estuary to his establishment could be I made with comfort and convenience, and ' ou the 'forenoon of the day named the auspicious hour arrived. " A few of us are going across tbe water," said the messenger, " and we start at twelve." At that hour, accordingly, the individual members of the party were with some difficulty got together, and a start was made for the jetty. On the way down a stray friend was picked up, and the party, now numbering six,, soon found themselves seated in a capacious boat. 1 A vigorous push or two sent us clear of the wharf, aud we were soon "going along steadily under the propelling power of a couple of experienced rowers. Standing well over until a position was gained to suit a run down under canvas, the sail was then hoisted, and a few minutes under a stiffish breeze, sufficed to carry the craft down abreast of the works, about a quarter of a mile off shore. Two parallel lines of stakes sticking up out of the water, and running from the point at which we had arrived straight in to the mill, prompted a query as to their use. The question was almost unnecessary, for before a reply could be given the purpose for which the posts had been driven was ocularly demonstrated. Unstopping the mast, the " hands" seized their oars, and using them as poles, pushed the boat right in between the " rows of sticks." It was then seen that the stakes marked the banks of a canal, and that beyond ? its limits the depth of water would not have floated our boat. A mud flat extends all along the shore in that locality, and when Mr Fraser built his saw-mill there, he found some contrivance for getting the cut timber out to deep water a necessity. A tramway was tried first, but was objectionable on account of being useless when the tide was in. The canal, a work of considerable size, was then dug, and has been found to answer well. Very little silting up takes place, and the huge punt on which the timber is taken from the saw to the vessels loading, can come and go during the greater portion of every tide. At the shore end the canal terminates in a small basin, in which was lying the punt in question, the lighter " Mary Ann," and the old " Bip." Twenty yards or so from the landing stands the saw-mill and flax manufactory. A single glance showed that the proprietor's intention was to do business on an extensive scale. The first building entered was an open shed, about 60 feet long, and half as broad. In the centre of this stands a powerful engine— one of the old locomotives — at one end two circular saw tables, and two flax machines, ! and at the other end planing, and tonguing and grooving machines, and two more flax machines. The flax machines occupy the centre of the building longitudinally, and the timber-dress-ing machinery is placed at the sides. The machines in use are two of Wilson's (Dunedin), one of Price's (Auckland), and one patented in Wellington. Mr Eraser -gives the preference to the Auckland machine. Only two of them were running at the time of our visit, but the rapidity with which, they whipped in the ; green blades from the hands of the feeding boys, showed that the pile of "raw material " lying outside would not last long. The machines are well raised so that a boy can stand easily underneath to take the fibre as it comes through. Each of these " catch T boys," or whatever they j are called, hangs the flax over a bar at his side, and from thence another lad carries j it off in handy "hanks " to the washer. Alongside of this building stands another of smaller dimensions, in which are the vertical saws, driven by the same engine, and facing the open end of both sheds is a crane for lifting the logs from one position to another. Passing the planing apparatus at the south end of the shed, the scutching and packing room is entered. This compartment is about 30 x 15, and contains one double and one single scutcher and hydraulic press. The scutchers appear very simple contrivances. They are merely strong discs of wood, about three feet six in diameter, with a couple of firmly fixed slots— thebeaters— crossing each other at right angles on each side, as if a couple of battens were fixed across each "other on the side of a grindstone. The disc is then mounted on an axle, and the whole enclosed with a strong stationary wooden casing, open at the top. Driven by belts from the engine, these discs revolve at a tremen. dous rate, and the dry fibre, in goodsized handfuls, is then submitted to their : action by being hung in over the top of the casing, rather in front, first one end of the hank and then the other, the feeder holding on to the same with all big might, the action of the beaters producing the same effect as if the fibre were held up by one hand, and a succession of violent blows given to it with a stick by the other. A man and a boy attends each scutcher, and as the handful- of fibre are "finished," so far as thk process ' is concerned, they are again hung on a bar of wood — like an overgrown towel-horse — beside the packer. This functionary puts two or three of these small hanks into one big one, gives it a few screwß in the middle, doubles.it up, and lays it in the press, with the twisted bights oat.

When the " cage" of the press is filled, the pump is set in motion, the bottom 1 o4vthe machine rises by a succession of jerk*, and in a minute or so, what appeared a pretty Bolid pile of flax of some seven feet in height, is squeezed into about a third of that size at the top of the cage. The ropes, pi^yiouslplaced, are then tied, the tap is turned tolet the water escape, the bottom of tho press sinks to its original position on the" floor, and the finished bale is ... rolled out and into the store-room to wait jshipmenfc - In this latter : apartment, which is 1 ' a spacious room of about 50 x 15, with a loft, we found about ten tons of flax baled up ready for putting on board, and about forty tons of the loose dry fibre waiting further manipulation. The loft, it might be mentioned, was full of. this material, firmly trodden in* which had lain there for .five or six months without showing the slightest signs of heating. At the rear of this building is a large water tank, with a small stream running through itj where the flax is washed as it comes from the millßj and on the flat, all around, are the drying fences or hurdles, some upright, and some horizontal. On the flat hurdles the fibre takes longer to dry than on the uprieht ones, but gains a better color, being more exposed to bleaching influences. This department had been very noticeable on our* approach bye- the water, from the extent of the fleecy-looking lines, and was found to afford drying accommodation for about four tons of flax at once, there being a mile and-a-half of fencing altogether, in lengths of about six chains. From the saws, and also from tbe packing: room, a tramway runs down to the canal basin, and another runs off into the bush some miles for bringing down the timber. The scutchers can run through a ton and a-half per day, and it would take seven machines to keep them constantly going, Which number^ »\lr Fraser yet expects toerect. The noise which the two at work, and the scutchers, made, was perfectly deadening. What it tnu-it be when the whole of the machinery is in gear, can be imagined, but not described ? " It's no use talking then," said Mr Fraser, when trying to give us some idea of the terrific din raised when the establishment was in " full operation." At the present moment about twenty hands are employed, but' when things are going full swing, morel than double that number will be required. Just now the saws are all idle, that department of the proprietor's trade being carried on for a time at another establishment in the Makarewa Bush, contiguous to the railway. Leaving the noisy mill, we proceeded to have a look „t a dwellinghouse in course of erection for the owner. On the way, we passed the workmen's cabins, some of weatherboards, othersformed of the railway carriages built for the Winton line, and afterwards sold for very little. Ascending a terrace, we found ourselves on the uneven plateau of the Otatara Peninsula, in the bush, and before, us a little thinly- wooded conical hill, about 150 feet or so high, on the top. of which stood the house. Ascending' again, by a rather steep path, and facing round when the front of the house^was reached, a splendid prospect was obtainable. Looking over the trees growing below, the eye could take in at a glance the whole of the estuary, the town, and all to the* eastward, southward, and northward, as far as sight. could reach. Indeed that such a view, could be obtained so near town was a matter of surprise to all the visitors. The little .cone, when its top had been traversed, was found to have a spur, or rather a couple of them, running out in the rear, and joining it to ridges . further in^the bush. On the way down speculations were freely indulged in as to this beautiful spot becoming the site of the palatial residences of the future merchant princes of Invercargill, with half-hour trains running round the Bay Railway. At present, possession of territory is disputed, as we can vouch, by that pestiferous little defender of virgin bush, the mosquito, and it came out - that it was to get clear of these imps our friend had sought so elevated a site for his residence. After satisfying curiosity to the full,- we made for the boat again, were shoved out into deep water, and the wind being favorable for the run back, soon found ourselves passing under the stern of the smart little Daphne, and fast to the jetty, where we bade adieu to our entertainer, he having insisted on seeing us ail. safe home again. Whether he " makes hie pile " or not, the proprietor deserves to do it, the unanimous verdict of the party being that " he was a thoroughly good colonist." ■•■"■•■.....-■; *9 The following facts regarding the cultivation of flax have been collected by Messrs M^andress, Hepburn, and Co., from reliable sources in the Island : — PLAMTDTO. In choosing land for planting flax, the cultivator may be guided in a great measure by the indigenous growth of the flax on his land. He must also be careful in planting the kiods of flax best suited to the nature of the soil. It is useless to plant Tihore on barren land, a.nd it is unquestionable that this, description of flax is not so well suited for ropemaking as Tuhara, the swamp flax. Before planting, clear the land, and at intervals of eight feet plough in three or four furrows, and in these furrows place the roots of the plant at distances of about six feet apart. The^ roots can be obtained by digging up native flax bushes, the roots of which may be divided into 30 or 40 pieces. Care must be taken not to cover the roots too deeply. Cattle must be kept from the growing crop or they will destroy it. If the ground iairi good order a crop of potatoes, in two or three rows between the rows of flax, maybe taken off the ground the first year. Boot planting is far preferable to seed, which requires much longer to develope. T£, however, seed is determined " upon, it should be submitted to hot - water jusfc below boiling heat beforehand, until the hard case of the seed is softened. (9m

letter of J. Cox) An acre planted as described will require about 1500 plants, and will not be ready for cutting in less than three years ; it will, however, then yield about 25 tons of green leaf per annum. If it is intended to make the flax a permament crop, it should not be cut more than once a year, the outer leaves being taken. In cutting avoid, as far as possible, committing any injury to the young shoots,' which will be found springing up near the bottoms of the older leaves. The flax may be cut to within about half a foot from the bottom of the plant, and should be slanted off. PBEPABATIOIT. The machinery now in use in Auckland for preparing the fibre is nearly all on the same principle. Price's machines are the most commonly found in our flaxmilla. The principle of these machines is wellknown, as they have been used in most ' parts of tbe colonyi-and are, we believe, manufactured in Wellington, Wanganui, and Dunedin. The woody part of the flax is removed by steel beaters, of about one- third of an inch, set diagonally in a circular cyliader of wood which revolveß within 1-16 of an inch of the feeding rollers, and is covered by a removable iron cap. One of these double machines will turn out about 3£ tons of prepared fibre a- week; After passing • through the inachines, the flax is well washed in cold water, and is then spread out to bleach. The time occupied in tbe process of bleaching depends greatly on the weather, and varies from six days'to twelve days. Spreading out on the grass is far preferable to hanging on lines. As bleaching weakens all fibres care should be taken not to allow the flax to remain too long exposed to the action of the sun and atmosphere. After the bleaching the flax is scut3hed, and for this purpose a circular frame of wood about 4ft. in diameter is employed, the bars composing it being about 4in. by 3in., with one foot distance between each. The flax is put into tbe machine in hanks, aa taken from ths bleaching field, the end of each bundle being held by the man employed. The scutchers remove tow, woody matter, and dust, and the flax is then ready for packing.