The Wairarapa Daily TUESDAY, SEPT 24, 1889. OUR FLAX SUPPLY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3317, 24 September 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily TUESDAY, SEPT 24, 1889. OUR FLAX SUPPLY.

The most profitable industry in tl

Wairarapa at the present time is undoubtedly the manufacture of flax fibre, While most people are satisfied with ten or perhaps twenty per cent on their gross returns, the lucky llaxmiller can count upon a margin varying from thirty to fifty percent, But like ajl ventures in which profits are abnormal it is subject to considerable risks. One wits illustrated yesterday by the total loss from fire of one of our leading establishments, This is the second mjll that has been destroyed by this enemy, and like its predecessor, it is already resuming operations with renewed vigor. The principal hazard which confronts those who have embarked capital in the trade is undoubtedly the prospect of a speedy exhaustion of the raw material. We notice that mora flax is being carted now over considerable distances •to the mills, and this points plainly to an exceedingly- rapid consumption, which will speedily overtake the supply. The price per ton of uncut flax has risen to six shillings in this neighborhood, and it is a question whether a year hence it will be obtainable at four tjmep this amount. Our contemporary, the New Zealand Times, published yesterday a report from an expert who has been making an inspection of mjlls in this province. Mr A. G, McGregor, the gentleman in question, states that" thellaxmillers have much need to study political economy, and to learn that capital is gained by saving. They never seem to realize the loss they must sustain by waste. They accept contracts for the flax to be cut and carted to the mill at a tonnage rate. The contractor's only

thought is to receive payment on the utmost (juantity he can deliver, and, accordingly, lie slashes it down irrespective of consequences, Soveroi years ago many station owners had flax gutted out of their land, some at a cost pf 30s per ton, It is bad enough to find fiiicb destruction ordered in ignorance, but, now tliat manufacturing is remunerative and has every appearance of prospering, the most important study of tb,e millers, as also the land owners, ought to be' economy with the raw material.' Ho has seen four mills running very short of flax, and two which have entirely run out, and get their present supply ten miles by rail. The growl)) of the plant should benurtured in order to save.oultivation, which will cost £2 to' £3 per ton or whereas the present royalty paid averages lmlf-a-crown per ton, Each root has in it say five loaves - two maturo leaves on either side, and one sucker in the middle, which, however, enwraps two or three younger ones in the heart. If the cutter takes all the five, the fol, lowing crop cannot be touohed until three years thereafter; besides, the'health of the plant is thereby damaged, as the leaves nevergroV,' again. On the other hand, ff J);e cutter took the matured leaves and left the sucker, the. remaining vegetation of the old leaves would fpl the sucker and strengthen it, as well as hasten its growth. Villi this little care the flax crops would be matured bi-annually instead of tri-annually. Although the millers readily coincide -with this simple roean3 of preventing a coining famine, and admit its value and effect, the task of inducing them to make a practical uso of the suggestion requires the persuasive efforts of one

possessed of more than human

ability, Thoy labour without foresight mid without n thought of how they must eventually kill the goose that lays the goldeu egg. It is a question whether, even if the flaxmillers take the wise warning given by Mr McGregor and conservo the flax plants, the supply will after a year or two meet the demand. What the local llasmillers should do is to prepare for d period not very remote when the existing available supply will bo exhausted, by downing ft considcrabl'3 proportion of theirpresent handsome profits to flax cultivation. If they formed a company to purchase or lease a few hundred acres of suitable land, and plant tho same m a proper manner, they could ensure a reliable supply which would give their mills a permanent value, If, two years hence, almost all the mills have to suspend operations for a twelve months while fresh (lax leaves are maturing on the old stumps their previous profits will have a tendency to melt and disappear. The demand'for high class fibre appears to bo so well established that a co-operative effort to secure a permanent and reliable stock of raw material is well worthy of consideration, Some of those engaged in it are perhaps so elated with their present returns that they do not look forward to tho future, It would, however, bo prudent on their part to listen to tho counsel of Mr McGregor who advises co-operation on the part of millers to constitute a trado association. Practically, there is little or no competition between mills which ought to generato a trade rivalry in this particular industry, and a combination ought to result in improving the positions and prospects of every one engaged in it.

' Orni local contemporary lots the cat out of the bag with reference to the latß secret convention, According to him the Justices wore expected to consider the " hunting of settlers into Magistrate's court, there to be fined i indiscriminate))'and according to no fixed rule." It was ■no doubt anticipated by the originator of the late gathering that the Justices of the Peace could bo 'nnocenlly trapped into denouncing the administration of the Act by Colonel ltoberts, but, though some of them may be a little sore in connection with their own caws, wo fancy they respect our E.M. for the firmness and impartiality with which he has discharged his duty, and are far more likely to strengthen his hands than to weaken them. A rabbit trap was ingeniously baited to catch the justices of the district, but they were two wary to take the phosphorous prepared for them. We notice, too, that our contemporary invites town residents to take part in the public meeting tomorrow evening. This is characteristic! but town residents have as a rule sufficient sense to mind their own business, and are as unlikely as were the Justices, to allow themselves to he enticed into a trap.