LINEN FLAX ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Southland Times, Issue 24821, 13 August 1942, Page 3

LINEN FLAX ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Members of advisory committees attached to each linen flax factory in Sputhland attended a meeting at Winton on Tuesday evening when an address was given by Mr J. W. Hadfield, director of the linen flax section of the Industries and Commerce Department. The meeting was also attended by Mr S. B. Barltrop, a linen flax mills engineer. Mr Hadfield said that the object of the meeting was to outline to the committee members the many problems connected with the growing and processing of linen flax. The new insurance scheme was fully discussed. Some members stated that a little misunderstanding had arisen because this scheme had not been included in the new contract. This, it was explained, was caused by the delay in securing the Minister of Agriculture’s approval to the subsidy, which would have to be borne by the Government. The scheme was brought about chiefly in the interests of Southland growers who had been heavy losers last year. The scheme would be compulsory over the whole of the South Island and would be reviewed in one year. The basis of the scheme was the collection of a 5 per cent, levy on the net proceeds of all accepted crops. In the case of total failure, payment would be made at the rate of £4 an acre with no charge for seed. If the funds in any district were insufficient to meet all claims the Government would meet the difficulty. Any surplus at the end of the year would be refunded to the growers or dealt with by growers’ representatives. Under this scheme any district with no loss would not be called upon to make good the losses in a less favourable district.

Mr Barltrop outlined some of the engineering problems. Mr G. Stevenson, president of the Southland Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, presided at the meeting.