NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1376, 28 April 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

•' Anglo- Austr vlian, " in the European Mud, writes : -At one time the Fhonnium tatai of New Zealand promised to become a profitable and paying industry, but of late years I have heard very little about it. Surely, -with, the aid of suitable machinery, this flax might be turned to profitable account. If I mistake not, there was shown at the Melbourne Exhibition "a rafter hackle." which would ruffle the tenax down to a texture almost as fine as the human hair. If this can be done, then I fell certain that the flax under notice might be exported with considerable profit to those who caie to enpage in the tiade. I notice that a Phormium Tenax Company has just been announced. The board consists of two English gentlemen aud two Portuguese, and one of the latter is stated to be the holder of a concess-on from his Government of a monopoly for the manufacture of this article throughout Portugal and all Portuguese possessions, which concession the company are to buy of him for £15,000 in shares, being one-half of the nominal capital of the company, the vendor agreeing not to receive any dividend until the other 15,000 shares shall have received 6 per cent. The plant is said to glow luxuriously and spontaneously in the whole of the Azores gioup of islands, and an almost unlimited quantity can always be obtained, the long thin part of the leaf being used for the manufacture of cordage and the thicker portions of the stalk being converted into pulp for paper-making ; and it is estimated that the fibre, which is worth £25 per ton in London, and the pulp £20, can be manufactured and delivered here free of all charges' at a mean price of £17 per ton. It is suggested that the supply of esparto grass is gradually being exhausted, and that by-and-by this will become an important bi an eh of trade, situate, as the scene of production is, within hve days' steam of England. Fifteen thousand pounds, however, seems a very small amount to come to the London m oueymarket for, especially as we are told that "a large proportion " of the amount will be taken up in Portugal. There is one important fact that wo are not told anything about, and that is whether this concession is terminable at any particular period or is held in perpetuity, and with or without royalties or other drawbacks. Now as the Phormium tenax is more prolific in New Zealand than in Portugal, I should like to hear of some, English capitalist paying a visit to New Zealand, with a view to turning that industry to profitable account.

The frozen meat agitation has extended to Invercargill. The Under-Secrtary, in a recent letter in reference to nominated immigration, says under ho circumstances will any further nominations be entertained until' Parliament has decided what is to be done in regard to future immigration. Whjlk a lad named Wright was driving home some of his father's cows at Gfoodwood to be milked one night recently, he 1 heard the report of a gun, and immediately afterwards what proved to be a bullet struck his foot. ; A narrow escape, tr,uly. A Chinese storekeeper n,amea Ali'Wan, while returning f rdm Round Effll to River-,, ton on hqrßeb^ckjywaa, thrown to ,tb:e, ground through his, Korse .iceoeiving |. fright, i ailing ofi - his fool .caught lathe stirrup, and f <he it was , dragged along, the rough road a distance of two chains^ receivio^BQrloHSfinJßii^s,/ ?, , ■ „'' '.