The Southland Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1870.

Southland Times, Issue 1243, 26 April 1870, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1870.

The news to. hand by the mail regarding the state of the flax market; is not by any means stimulating. The decline in price, noticed the previous month, seems confirmed, and further reductions even have had to be borne. Considering the circumstances which, some months ago, attracted so much of the notice of manufacturers to the. New Zealand fibre — then a comparatively new competitor for their favor — and sent it so rapidly np in value, the present fall ceases to be surprising, and need not in any wise induce despondency. A temporary scarcity of a material largely in. use led buyers to look eagerly round for a substitute, and ifc so happened that large shipments hence reached England just at the moment when it could not fail to command an exceptionally high figure. The bareness of Manilla stocks having been subsequently considerably filled up, and the market fully supplied with other established hemps, as well as with several new sorts, it was but natural that prices should recede somewhat. The flax has also to overcome the inherent prejudice existing in commercial minds against all innovations upon the ordinary routine of business— -the suspicion with which all new materials, as well as new ideas, are naturally regarded— while it has to encounter the still more serious obstacle of positive opposition from those interested in keeping it out of competition. The quotations given in the European Mail, by two firms, place the -wal»*g- — *a%es — very -low, £3t to 4J32 being given as the value of the best sorts. These figures are, however, . contradicted to some extent by quotations which we have been permitted to take from the private letter bf a London firm, equal in position and credibility to either of those whose figures we have alluded to. After noticing the decline, and advising caution in dealing with the article, the writer says . — " Fine, clean, long parcels are not worth more than £38 ; part dressed, £22 to £28 ; and inferior, £18 to £20 per ton." As we anticipated in a late issue, latest reports speak favorably of the results of certain experiments to which the fibre has been subjected, and indicate a probability of its being soon applied to the manufacture of other fabrics than those for which it has hitherto been used. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, in their monthly circular, say : — " We are unable to report much business in New Zealand flax since our January issue, but we see evidence of a better opinion regarding its usefulness,, several experiments having been tried with it, with, on the whole, satisfactory results. Some persons have been taking great trouble to create a prejudice against the use of this fibre, but if prices are kept at a moderate rate we have no doubt there will presently be a large consumption of the better sorts." Other reports express corroborative opinions, and, from the whole, it is conclusive that the improvement . in the quality of the fibre is the main thing to be aimed at by the flax manufacturers, together with a decrease in the cost of production. To effect these objects will give ample exercise to the best ingenuity in the colony, and cost both time and money in addition. Under the depressing circumstances existing, when direct benefit seems more remote, it can scarcely be expected that private enterprise will be quite so intent upon the subject as formerly, and some new incentive is required to carry out the problem of the utility of the flax to a satisfactory issue. Seeing that the advantages to ac.cr.oiL .from its success, are essentially colonial, the material existing in every part of* the country alike, it would be perfectly competent —and right for the G-eneral Government to offer some substantial reward for the discovery of such appliances or processes as would meet the' requirements of the case, and secure the prosecution of . so important aq

industry. Other countries are fully alive to the value of utilising their raw material, or even to the advantage of encouraging the growth of a foreign product of large consumpt, when suitable to soil and climate. A recent instance is that of the Indian G-overnment offering a reward of £5000 for the discovery of the means whereby a certain fibre -may be produced at a certain cost, and we think our Government could not spend an equal amount of the public money oa an object of greater public good. The Government of India have drawn the attention of machinists and others throughout Europe to the subject by advertising it widely, and stating fully and clearly what they wish, and the terms on which the reward will be paid. The following is the advertisement : — "1. The Government of India, after communicaton with various Agricultural and Horticultural Societies in India, and with persons interested in the subject, has arrived at the conclusion that the only real obstacle to the development of an extensive trade in the fibre of Kheea, or China Grass, is the want of suitable machinery for the separating the fibre and bark from the stem, and the fibre from the bark, the cost of effecting such separation by manual labor being great. "2. The demand for the fibre is now large, and no doubt might be extended with reduced prices, and there is practically unlimited extent of country in India where the plant could be grown. "3. The requirements of the case appear to be some machinery or process capable of producing, with the aid of animal, water, or steam power, a ton of fibre of a quality which shall average in value not less than £50 per ton in the English market, at a total cost, all ; processes of manufacture and allowance for wear and tear included, of not more than £15 per ton. The said processes are to be understood to include all the operations performed, after the cutting and transport of the plant to the place of manufacture, to the completion of the i manufacture of fibre of the quality above i described. The machinery must be simple, strong, durable, and cheap; and should be suited, for erection at or near the plantations, as the refuse is very useful as manure for continued cultivation. "4. To stimulate the invention, or adaptation, of such machinery or process, the Government of India hereby offers a prize of £5000 for the machine and process that best fulfils all the requirements named above. " 5. Rewards of moderate amount will be given for really meritorious inventions, even though failing to meet entirely all the conditions named. = - . . " 6. Arrangements will be made by the Government of India for the supply of i earefuily dried stems, and specimens of fibre separated from the bark, but subjected to no other process, to mechanical firms and others desirious of competing, on application to the Secretary to the Government of India in the Home Department. ' ~~~~- "7. All machinery, &c, must be brought by the competitors, at their own charge, to a locality which will be noticed hereafter, probably in the North West [ Provinces or the Punjab, and there t worked under the supervision of their own representatives for a suificient time, I to enable the judges appointed by G-overn-ment to determine whether all the conditions named have been complied with. The prize machine is to be transferred, if requiredj to Government at 5 per cent, above cost price ; the patent right in any such machine to be also transferred, if required, to G-overnment, on the latter securing to the patentee a royalty of 5 per cent, on the cost price of all machines manufactured under the patent during its currency; "8. One year from the date of this advertisement will be allowed for the preparation of the machines, and their transport to the locality named for the competition, and the trials will then be made, and the decision of the judges announced. If no invention of sufficient merit is received in the above-named period to obtain the prize offered, the Government will continue to allow machines to be tendered for trial till the end of two years from tbe same date, after which, or on the award of the prize, the offers herein made wiE be withdrawn." In concluding, we may state that a local manufacturer informs us of his conviction, after experimenting, that the application of steam to the fibre immediately after its passing the rollers, will produce that softness and lustre which is so highly desired, and render it in every respect equal to the finest Manilla.