The Flax Industry.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3151, 12 March 1889, Page 3

The Flax Industry.

I havo had my turn at flax, 4 wm Ji )w at worlt at it again, and $ I^*l ot say that I feel any very * pot o assurance of the big tbiugs geutoll expected. , MjlPP'I have seou many upsand downs the flax trade. once <?£, s 'getting my account Boles of flax,' Lsl ton in London. I wasjust startirig off to England to get some imjp;; proved machinery, aud went home 'X-i' 1 iQuiolt by tho P. and o.', but by the gf'Stime I reached Loiidou tho price was 'if ' - down to £l6 per ton, a fall of £35 f ■ per ton. I was iffiing £lq,ooo a ■ > year whenl left New Zealand, and w '. losing £5,000 a year whenl readied .London. , Then , followed tho ; ; collapso of,tbo fin industry, and fc'-i- prices .'ranged very low- for rnanj years, but thero were. occasional spurts to about £!I2 per ton, and a ii fall again to L'2() soon after. If you ask me straight what-1 think ■■■■; of tho present proiipect, 1 say that \LJfcl assured tlmt the price for ;v; ■ nt, ..ilax," when the market ,Haa recovered from the inevitable 'fall which the quantity of badly ' ' dressed flax now being shipped must ■ on tail will steady do wn, and rule higher • than during the last fifteen years. ; : as flax can now b« used for many : . ; purposes, suoh as binder twine, tying ' up grapes in vineyayds, etc., which • > channels were not open to it in 1871 : ; and subsequent fifteen years or so. 'As to the cost of manufacture,- flax, '-'"like many other things, can be made to pay splendidly on paper, but I ''' find that it takes an expert in tho i business, and a considerable capital outlay in • buildings and proper machinery, to make good flax with steam power, and deliver it in London, including sale charges, at much under £25 per ton. A raau working witi4 insufficient plant, or not tliflwghlynp to the work, cannot produce an inferior article even at £5 per ton more. My advice to the peoplo going into flax here, for tho first time, is to wait till the inevitable fall takes place, and thou decide what to do. Any man starting now must hit the lowest market with his fi shipments. After then it may, I trust will, recover; though not to the abnormal extent which late prices havo indicated.—Christchurch Press. . Outrage on the Countess de la Torre. At Surrey Sessions on January 8, before Mr George Somes, Frederick Skinner (18), George Musgrovc 13), and Charles Miller (1G), all ■described as labourers, were indicted in being concerned together in breaking aud entering the dwelling house of Elizabeth Georgiuna Partington, •better known as the Countess de la Torre, and stealing from her person a nurse ■ containing one sovereign, Ecap- silver, a brooch, and other articles, her property. Mr Erickson, barrister, prosecuted, and the prisoners'wore undefended. The case was ono of a very extraordinary charaoter, The prosecutrix, a lady of eccentric demeanour, stated that she lived at ' present at 23, Smeaton road Wands- ■ worth, and she knew two out of the , four prisoners as meii whom she had relieved on being importuned by them for alms. Musgrave, one night, f'n she hud given him money, wed her into the house, sat himjomfortably upon a sofa, but on telling him she could not allow that, ho left. On the 19th December she ' was sitting in her room, where she 1 lived by herself, and four men ap- ' peared, three of them, to the best of , her belief being the prisoners, One of them said," Wo have come here ■ tobaye all jou are possessed of; wo will-have your house itself." One iuMk whom she thought was 1 Mwjf, took her by the throat, . and a purse containing a sover- ' eign, silver, and four pawntickets, was taken from her. , To attract tin* attention, of her ' neighbors, she broke a number of windows, and Mr Adams, who lived next door, with some friends, came . ■ to her assistance, and surrounded 1 the house. Tho prisoners were found ( concealed in a coal-cellar, and Miller ' and a companion managed to get ] away.. Tho other two men were i secured, and given mto custody. Information was given to Detective , , Ronan, and he, two hours afterwards, apprehended Miller. All the prisoners admitted having gono to the house ' but denied that they had committed any robbery, or assault. In answer ■ ; ; to the Chairman, the prosecutrix, : viS&o'gave all her evidence with reluctance, said she had known Musgrave ! " ; befottßhe had relieved' him on his impairing her, and on one occasion lie followed her into the house, and seated himself quietly on the sofa, but on being told that he could not be allowed, he went away, The prisoners, who received an unfavorable character from Detective Konan and Constable Pinch, having been found guilty, were sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labor, Simple Remedies. . Simple remedies are within the reach of everyone, and, if resorted to . in time, will save ninny a pound in doctor's bills. Cold in the head is not only an anhoyanoe, but is likely to develop into catarrh. One teaspoonful Of mustard dissolved in a tumblerful of cold water, and used as a garble three time 3 a day, will often effect a speedy cure, In more obstinate cases equal parts ofloaf sugar and pulverised alum used as , snuff, will give instant relief. Fever atA restlessness in children are frajfcntly caused by indigestion. If ]jn find the skin of the little one hot <md dry, remember, if you can, what Give the child a hot bath, and then givo it half a cup of warm water to drink. In a few minutes the undigested food will bo thrown off the stomach, and the child Svill soon be Bleeping soundly. A dose of magnesia, about half a teaspoonful, given in the morning bofoie breakfast, will probably restore the child to its usual heallii, but should fever and nausea continne during the day following tho attack, send for a physician, who will undoubtedly approve of whatyou have .done, and should the symptoms develop into scarlet fover, measles, chicken-pock, or any of the diseases to which children are liable, the attack will probably be of a mild nature.' Nearly one half of the population are more or less afflicted : with neuralgic pains. Instead of sending for tho doctor, who will probably prescribu a plaister and *" a dosl Of medicine, we advise the • sufferer, to heat a Hot iron, put a dslAle fold of flannel cm. the painful ~ , ; part; then move the iron to and fro oti the flannel. The ' pain will. ccase .-almost immediately. Wo havo seen tho most painful cases of neuralgia j .relieved in less than ten miuutes. aro among the most sovere ' to which 'v we are •: liable. , "-'ffhea a joint iv spriiined' swtllins(.

; oonies on gradually; :Iq "dislocation/; the swelling and loss of motion of the joint happen; immediatelyafter" the accident, A sprained limb ,'should lie; kept perfectly quiet.' To prevent inflammation, usb poultices ot wormwood, hops, or." lousy, Everyeffort tin the part of the patient to repeat in detail the causo oftho acoident, the sensations, experience, &c. should be discouraged. Cheerful conversation upon other subjects and perfect rest will bring about speedy recovery and strengthen nil concerned in tlio belief that it is not necessary to send for tiie doctor,—Family Doctor,;