Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1939. AN OLD BUT UNDEVELOPED INDUSTRY.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1939, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1939. AN OLD BUT UNDEVELOPED INDUSTRY.

JJFIOM time to time reason appears for believing that the expansion of industry and general economic progress o.f this country are being hindered by lack of enterprise arid in particular by a failure to bring up-to-date technical knowledge to bear upon the utilisation and manufacture of materials produced within our own borders. Some striking evidence on these points was offered by an English textile industry expert, Mr John Kedshaw, of Bradford, in some observations made on the eve of his departure: from Wellington recently. Mr Redshaw declared himself convinced that soft flax (i.e., phormium) fibre could be carded and spun into a yarn suitable for the manufacture of textiles. He said further on this subject, as he is reported:—

I have had submitted to me, by a group in New Zealand, samples of soft fibre prepared by a simple process from New Zealand flax. These samples have the consistency of wool. From my knowledge of carding and spinning machinery I can guarantee that this fibre can be carded and spun into yarn for textile manufacture. With experimentation, the thickness of the yarn best produced from the fibre could be ascertained. Judging from the samples, I would say there is an opening for New Zealand in the textile industry. ...

The possibility is here visibly suggested of building up our flax industry on a far greater scale than it has ever yet attained. There is certainly plenty of room for revival and expansion. As a material for cordage, phormium has fallen out of favour in comparison with Manila hemp and sisal. In the peak year of 1925-26, the output of the New Zealand flax industry was valued at £550,000, but this has fallen away to less than £50,000. The progress made in the manufacture of wool packs is almost the only recent development of an encouraging kind. It. has long been known, however, that phormium lias excellent and altogether exceptional qualities, as a material for textiles. Reduced to- its ultimate fibres, phormium is a material for artificial silk of a high standard. That apart, however, it was used to some extent in textile manufacture well over 60 years ago.

, In a book which deals with the Ashanti campaign of 1874, for example, the late Mr G. A. Henty, in hi,s day a war correspondent and popular writer of good standing, speaks of the use of “knickerbockers and Norfolk jackets of tough New Zealand flax, with gaiters of the same material,’’ and makes one of his characters say.-—

There is nothing like it; it is the only stuff which has a chance with the thorns of an African forest.

Informalion, is lacking as to the conditions in which the garments mentioned by Mi- Henty were manufactured, but the probability is that the basic material was flax dressed by the Maoris and that this was spun into yarn and manufactured into cloth in England. Some early records are extant of flax dressed by the Maoris having been received with high favour in English textile centres.

Where the processing ami manufacture of phormium are concerned, we have moved backward rather than forward since the days of early settlement. In the effective utilisation of this fine material the Maori has in some respects a much better record than the pakelia.

It is hardly in doubt, in any case, that phormium is a very valuable textile fibre and one that probably is unsurpassed as a material for tropical clothing. So far as the internal economy of the Dominion is concerned, it seems very likely that manufactured phormium might, displace much of the cotton and other textiles now imported.

Given a manufacturing demand and outlet, phormium can be produced in any quantities that are l required, and in selection and breeding there are assured means of improving the fibre conlent and quality of the plant. The total possibilities raised evidently are worth exploring very thoroughly. If the manufacture of flax textiles can be established, the industry may also provide the means of bringing about a very profitable extension of small settlement.