THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8152, 9 July 1906, Page 3

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

A REVOLUTIONARY INVENTION, DRESSING AT HALF COST. Mr Donald L. Turner, chemist, and Mr J. T. Mitchell (Fildcs, Mitchell and Co.) waited upon the Minister of Lands and Agriculture on Friday, for the purpose of bringing under his notice a new process of llax-dressing, which it is believed will effect a saving of about 50 per cent, in the cost of treating the fibre. Mr J. D. Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture, was also present Under the new process the -tripped tlax, after washing, can ba put into the drying-shed at 5 p.m., and at 8 o'clocknext morning can be taken out ready for scutching and baling. All the weather risks of paddocking under the present system are thus avoided. Instead of shutting clown as many mills are nowadays by the delay consequent upon bleaching outside in our tricky cli.nate, the mills could go on working with the new process regardless of the weather. Nor does the process lead to deterioration or weakening of tin tibre as is often the ease with weather bleaching. No chemicals at all conn in contact with it. . *.r Duncan was so well satisfied witl

the samples of fibre shown to him that lie has given instructions to have a shed tilted ii]i in Wellington at the expense of the Government to thoroughly test a process which, if it fulfils its promise, should revolutionise the hemp industry, as the separator did dairying. —N.Z. •' Times."