THE FLAX BOOM.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 407, 2 October 1889, Page 4

THE FLAX BOOM.

There is no reason to suppose that the demand which has sprung up for New Zealand flax is the result of causes that are temporary in their nature. Possibly an American "corner" in rope-making fibres had something -to do with stimulating the trade ; but if so, it has simply led to the discovery, that phormium* tibre answers quite as well as Manila hemp for binder twine, the manufacture of carpet backing, and various other industrial purposes. There has of late years been a very large increase in the consumption of Manila hemp, which even an enhanced supply cannot keep pace with. The rcceiptb ot hemp at Manila from the various districts in the Phillipine Islands rose from 342,015 bales in 1886 to 468,911 bales in 1887, without glutting the market. It is worthy of remark, aB an indication of the capacity of the American market, that more than one half of the hemp exported from Manila in 1887 went to the United States. The total export was 81,990 tone, of which the American market absorbed 45,462 ton* by direct shipment. It may easily be seen from these figures that the flax production of New Zealand cannot seriously affect the prices, and there is no -probability of a rapid expansion in the production of Manila fibre, which really regulates the demand for New Zealand flax and its price. The question whether our flax will retain its present position in the world's markets turns mainly upon one thing, and that fully under the control of manufacturers themselves. Will they keep up the quality? The Agent - General in recent reports to the Government has strongly enforced this point, and we are glad to nobice that the superior quality of Auck-land-made flax has attracted attention in the London market, and secured for it a special price. We would strongly advice our manufacturers to go in for branding their bales. One Waikato flax mill-owner has, we learn, not only done this, but he has had a pi'inted calico placard placed in each bale, in which he notifies the purchaser that if the flax in the bale is nob found of uniform quality, he will be prepared to make good any loss which has been sustained in consequence. This ia going into the business in the right spirit, and must in the long run establish confidence and repay the extra labour expended in the production by realising a higher prico, and ensuring a safe market. The colour is nob of so much importance as the production of a fibre uniform in quality and perfectly cleansed from woody matter and gum. As our fibre ia largely used in combination with Manila hemp, a uniform straw colour, the ordinary colour of Manila, would probably be most favoured in the Home and American markets. When required for general manufactures the fibre may be readily dyed. We believe that this industry, if properly developed, will yet prove a source of groat wealth to New Zealand. Flax and timber, after whale-oil, were the two chief products, native to the country, that attracted traders to these islands in tho early part of the present century, and they are as capable of contributing to the wealth of the colony now as ever they were. — •' Auckland Star," September 27.

There is a sorb of dogged persistency about a steamer well known in these waters which (says a contemporary) we cannot help admiring. We refer to the s.s. Triumph. We are afraid go say how many times she has come to grief since she ran on the rocks near Auckland Harbour some years ago. When on the 22nd October last year, after collision with the Spanish steamer Rivas, she sank at the entrance of the Tyne, we thought we had heard the last of her ; not so, however. The authorities of the port apparently were not satisfied with the position in which she was lying, so recently they set about disturbing her rest. First they lifted her stern, so as to put her parallel with the channel, instead of athwart the stream as before, which no doubt was an objectionable attitude for her to take up from a nautical point of view. Then with the assistance of a number of tugs she was towed into the liver, and placod on the south side of the harbour, South Shields, out of the way of traffic. What is going to be dono with her next, is not stated. A writer in a Home paper grimly observes: — "Considering the collision with the Spanish steamer, above water, and the sundry collisions which she has experienced with passing vessels below water, I should imagine that the Triumph would require some trifling repairs." He is no doubt quite safe in this conjecture. Far be it from us to say, however, that those repairs will not be executed, or that we shall not again see the s.s. Triumph acting up to her name, and once more proudly riding the ocean. Inventors in search of a design for a patent unwreckable ship— not unsinkable bear in mmd — should study her construction. The Mew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company report under date London, September 24th, as follows : — The wool sales opened this day at prices ruling in sellers' favour. The attendance of both Home and foreign buyer? is good, and com* petition is active. The total quantity available, including wool held over from last series, is 276,000 bales, of which 82,000 have been forwarded to the manufacturing districts direct. Hemp : Medium is worth £29 per ton. Frozen meat: The mutton market has a downward tendency. The beef market is steady. Beef : Hindquarters are worth 4^d per lb ; forequarters are worth 3jd per lb. The British Consular agent at Jaffa, in hi? last report on the trade of his district, states that a concession for a railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem has been granted by the Sultan to Joseph Navon, an Ottoman subject, for seventy-one,years. Itis stated that a company has beer formed in England and France to carry out the scheme, and that the engineers are soon expected to undertake the work. The carriage road between Jaffa and Jerusalem has been greatly improved. The Government sold last year the income from the toll of the road for £2,085, as compared with £1,812 the year before last, which shows an increase in the traffic. The Jewish colonies in, Palestine are greatly improving ; one of them, which is called the Richon le Zion, has planted about 2,000,000 vines, all promising well. The colonists are good labourers ; nearly all their land is cultivated. The greater part of them are Turkish subjects, and are all subject to the; laws of the country.