LINSEED INDUSTRIES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 995, 24 August 1882, Page 3

LINSEED INDUSTRIES.

A meeting convened by Mr Pilbrow, to consider the advisibility of forming a company in. this district to develop the linseed industry, was held last Tueeday afternoon in the Wallingford Hotel. On the motion of Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst, Mr S. D- Barker took the chair.

U Mr Pilbrow said he had called the meeting together to consider the advisibility of forming a company for the manufacture of linseed into oil-cake, twine etc. About four years ago when the local industries commiesion was sitting he wrote to Mr Wakefield, asking him to put in a claim for a bonus for the growth of linseed, and the result was that £BOO had been offered by the Government as a bonus for the first 800 gallons of oil manufactured in the colony. This remains good yet. The first to produce 800 gallons of oil would receive this bonus from the Government. When this bonus was offered he drew attention to the industry but met with little encouragement. Many thought it very good, but no one would go in for it. He himself had grown it ever since and found it paid as well as anything else, although he hitherto had no sale for the straw. He considered it would be a most important addition to to our sources of wealth. Thsre was an inexhaustible demand in England for it besides the home consumption. Instead of sending enormous sums of money out •f the colony every year for twine etc as heretofore we would be bringing an enormous sum into the colony by its sale in foreign markets. The amount paid for the importation of oil every year was something incredible, there being a great demand for oil in the colonies, owing to the majority of the houses being wood and requiring paint. Besides there was a great demand for twine for harvesting purposes. The merchants of Christchurch alone had this y«ar sent for £2600C worth of binding twine. This would give an idea ot the demand there was for it* He had grown flax since 1866 and considered the district admirably suited for it, Mr Murphy secretary to the Canterbury Agricultural Association, had written several letrers and phsmphets en the growth of linseed, he was a man of great experience in it, and had shown it to be a very profitable industry. The Waitohi and Kakahu would grow linseed splendidly, but sot so rich as the swamp land lower down, still it was held it was not the longest straw made the best fibre, but the medium straw grown, so that would make Waitohi and Kakahu excellently adopted for its growth. It was most important the matter should be gone On with »t once, as the seed time had come on now, and people would be puting in their seed. He believed a great many would start putting in their seed if they saw any hope of the company being floated. To give these people confidence in the movement, he thought the best thing that could be done was to nominate a provisional directory, and when their names appeared in the paper it would have the effect of inducing people to go on with it.

The chairman thought the chief feature of the project was whether this new machiue of Andrews and Beaven would separate the seed from the fibre, Mr Pilbrow said there was very little doubt it would, A paper mill would be one day connected with the industry also, and all (he short and otherwise useless straw would be used in the manufacture of paper. Thus eren the refuse could be utilised. Mr Pilbrow then read an extract from the Hereford Times which has already been published in this paper, and from which it appeared that linseed fibre is very much used in the manufacture of paper. Mr Wills pointed out that as the refrigerati rg process had been introduced rnd proved successful, oilcake would be very much used in feeding cattle. Mr Pilbrow also pointed eut that wheaten bran would be used in the Manufacture of oil cakes. Thus another thing which was now gioing waste could be used. Mr Twomsy had no doubt *he project would be successful, and consequently it

would be better for the meeting to come to some practical conclusion. There was a gentleman in Christchurch, who it was said was anxious to throw in his fortunes with the people of this district, and invest a considerable sum in the project. The best thing that could be done was to appoint a provisional committee, and ask the Christchurch gentleman to meet them He would be able to give every information to them on the subject and then provisional directors could be elected, a prospectus drawn out, and the project put afloat. They must come to some definite arrangement regarding the matter. The Chairman agreed that tin’s would be the best way. At present they had not sufficient information, they had no definite proposals before them and they could do nothing until they had. Mr Pilbrow said he would write to Ur; Pearce and ask him to come. Unless he had changed his mind and taken up shares in the Christchurch company he would be very glad to come. He had some time ago offered to take up a large number of shares if the company could be started,

It was decided)© inform Mr Pearce of the decision come to, and to ask him to state a day on which he could attend a meeting in Temuka. It was also decided to invite the following gentlemen to be present namely :—Messrs Twomey ; Wareing ; Hayes, Dr ; Gilliatt ; Wright ; Lyon , Grant ; Benbow ; Parkerson ; Coltman ; Stubbs ; Stewart ; Nicholson ; Wills ; Fitzgerald, W. ; Barker, S, D. ; HayhursU J. T. M. ; Pilbrow ; Leach ; Guild . Paterson ; Currie ; Johnston ; Mclntosh ; Slack ; Meyer ; Crompton ; Baxter ; Kelland; Bissett; Trazise; Talbot; Ensor ; Waddell ; Barker, R. A. ; Gray ; Young ; Deßenzie ; Mackay ; Maclean ; Hay ; Murray ; Mathews ; Sharp ; McCallum ; Woodhead ; Quinn ; Cain ; Austin ; Connolly ; Barker, P. H. ; Cunningham ; Ackroyd, J. E. ; Postlethwaite ; Bourne ; Gladstone ; Fitzgerald, W-; Cliff; and Earie. '

On th* question as to what name to call the project, Mr ,Twomey moved—- “ That it be called The Temuka Linseed Oil, Cake, and Fibre Company.” Mr Ashweil seconded the motion.

Mr Wills moved as an amendment—- “ That it bo col ed The South Canterbury Linseed Oil, Cake, and Fibre Company.” Mr Uprichard seconded the motion. After some discussion the amendment was carried,

Mr Ashwell acceped the post of Honorary Secretary, and was instructed to write to the above-named gentlemen, on receipt of a reply from Mr Pearce, inviting them to attend a meeting in the Wallingford Hotel, to elect provisional directors, and arrange preliminaries. The meeting then closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.