THE FLAXNILLING INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 9, 4 February 1909, Page 2

THE FLAXNILLING INDUSTRY

rAT lON TO THE MINISTER. lly Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Those engaged ill the flaxinilling industry hi the Dominion are not at .present "satisfied with their trade and ,its prospects, and are anxious that the juovermnciit should do something to improve. it. Jlr. I'. 11. Robinson, secretary of the Fluxmillers' Union, Foxton, to day waited on the, .Minister of Labor •tlloii'. A. W. Hogg) in reference to the .present state of the. industry, und after laying before the Minister certain facts .in* connection with it asked for Governnien intervention or aid. The Minister, in the course of his re,ply, said that ho reeognsed the great .value of ,the llax industry to the work,eav of the country, and agreed that those men who had invested largely ia .machinery and plant should be adequately recompensed for their enterprise. It was much to bo regretted '.that the industry for a long time past hail liefn in anything but a flourishing (condition. The causes of the present .state of things demanded an enquiry of some kind, and if a remedy could' be found, either by means of a full en;<iui.i>y. or by legislation, in the interests of the whole Dominion it was most desireabl® that something should bo done. |l lu would submit the mutter to the earnest 'consideration of the Government as soon as possible, because the present state of {lie Tabor market demanded attention,, especially as it affected. one of the chief industries of .the. Dominion. Flaxniillers employed a large number of hands, and if these were not kept fully at work the labor jnarket must sillier. He would seo without any unnecessary delay whether something eoulil not be done to stimuli to the industry.