THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 383, 10 July 1889, Page 8

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

A recent issue of the Marlborough Express has the following :—": — " We lately diew attention to the many possibilities of the developement of the flax industry, and urged the question on public attention. Our object was to show that not only was thft main industry direct!} 7 reproductive, but the secondary processes of ÜBing up the waste from the mills could also be made a highly pn fitable pursuit. We pointed out that something of the sort was being done at Pa mejston (Otngo) and recom^ mended it to the notice of onr local industrial population. Since then, we have been much gratified to learn that steps in this direction have l>een taken by Mr Lintem, in Grove Road, who has commenced a process by hand, of working up tow from the flaztnills into flax, which can be wo^en into fabrics, or ropes, and many other saleable commodities. The specimen ot flax submitted to us recently is Itighly creditable, and can bo readily manipulated, and Mr Lintern finds a market for it without difficulty ; but, unfortunately, not here. In Wellington, he can readily g«*t for it £20 per ton from the agents of Boston (U.S.A.) houses. Here it is with difficulty he can obtain £10 from the merchants. Why this should" be so, we cannot say. Of conrse it is useless and absurd to talk to men of bnninesB about "encouragement of local industry" as such, and for the public benefit ; btit here an opportunity presents itself of encouraging local industry at nubntantial direct pirfit to the patron^ and Mirfly it is worth while to move in this direction . We commend the suggestion to the> keen-witted chiefß of the commer cial world here, A manufacturer ought to be able to do business with the loc-tl capitalists. In one sense it is better that the producer Rhould send direct to the market without the aid of the middle-mnn, but- it miij often best suit the manufacturer to deal with monied men on the spot.'