THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 1 February 1907, Page 4

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

I'iie iliix industry was in the lowest depths of depression ill. the tinu' of t lie census of 18UU. At tinu time wily .>2 niil.s were left in operation, and ihe minds employed had fallen in number to -IS4 men and lb.'l boys. Kcliirus lor IUOI show a revival in the mills to 101 in operation, with 1.31!) men and 17!) boys. Jiut tlie census returns for IUUU shows 2io mills in operation .luring April of that year, with 3'X>l ni.-ii itud )2j lioys employed thereat. The cages paid stood at €101(040 for the year I'JUO, but increased to €227,400 for lUUj, while nearly 200.000 tmi;, of raw material were used in HHI.j and 22,000 tons of libre dressed, besides &KW tons o/f , low 'produced. Tliji( money value ol llhi total outpul w;is against €20;i.J!12 in liiiill, and €:J2,SI(i in 1805. Of the toial value of output for IUO.I the provineial district of Wellington eontributeil the most ( £180,002). Otugo followed with €I3!>,OUU, and Auckland took tnird place with £1117,420. T'or the other provincial di.-lntU the ouiput ranged from £25,000 to .CIJ,(100. The gra.hng of phonuiuni for o-xponutinn l'roiii New Zealand, by a (iovcrnment ollicial under regulations, has the i-f feet ot preventing any hadly-div-scd llax of an inferior <(iiauTy froni being sent away and thus injuring their reputation of Inc. article generallv by .lopil'f'iatioi:!. Ilnj must inijioi-t;ilit' particulars given in the returns for 100K are as follows.the ligures for IHOli being placed alongside for the >uke of (•oinpiirison:—Number of works, 210. 1111; number of hand's ployed. 4070. KiUS; amount paid m wages. £227. ISO. €101,040: nuioiint of horse power. ;tOS7 ii.p., J1!H) li.p.; approximate value of land, .-€102,471, .€24,044; approximate value of buildings., £4:i.751, €12.212: approximate value of macliinery and plant, CIKUiIS. €25.5!)0. Tlui raw material used during 1!)(),", amounted to 1!)!).171 tons, worth .€IBS,H!I4, as against 00,571 tons, worth £S:j,OG4, in I'eOO.