THE FALL IN FLAX.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 454, 15 March 1890, Page 5

THE FALL IN FLAX.

MILLS SLACKENING OFF. Our. Hamilton correspondent writes : Owing to the fall in flax, many of the mills are easing off; some are stopped altogether. Alessrs Coates and Metcalfe have stopped one strippor out of three, and are storing all their finished fibre, not feeling inclined to sell at present rates. They have turned out since starting about 132 tons of fibre, of which they sold 100 tons (for which they had a contract) at £23 10s. The balance also realised full rates. In conversation with a resident of Waikato, who has just returned from a visit to England, I learn that the main l’eason, as far as he could gather in London, for the fall in price is simply that there has been sent Home from various parts of the colony a lot* of the veriest rubbish, under the name of flax, that mortal man could imagine. He says that the amount of dishonesty displayed in getting up the bales is simply appalling, so much so that would-be purchasers would simply not even look at New Zealand flax at all. This gentleman’s opinion i 3 a good one, and I know that owing to the- position occupied in London business by his connections, ho would have every opportunity pf investigating the matter thoroughly, which he evidently did. I have always advocated the keeping up of the quality, and have written at timeß very strongly on the matter in the columns of the “Farmer’s Journal,” and I am of opinion still that really reliable brands of flax will bring good prices at home. We shall see. Moantime, the trade is slacking down very considerably, and numbers of labourers are consequently thrown out of employment.