The Flax Industry
Big claim for new pro
(Special to the Times.)
Gisborne Times, July 1, 1927
Auckland, June 2
To revolutionise the flax industry is the purpose of a machine being constructed in Auckland.
The machine does away with the lengthy fourteen day process of present flax treating and in a fourteen-minute process one machine turns out more higher grade fibre.
At present nine tons of flax are reduced to about one ton of fibre and some tow.
With the new process, it is hoped to turn out from the same quantity of flax two tons of higher grade product.
The machine uses a new process for de-gumming flax.
During the war, the Government offered a large bonus for a machine of this nature.
The peculiarity of the New Zealand flax plant, and to it alone, and the areas of land growing flax or fit to grow flax only, makes the substantiation of the claims made for the machine a question of national interest.
Flax Woolpacks
Bradford satisfied
Hawke’s Bay Tribune, November 6, 1936
Flax growers in Australia will be disappointed to learn that the flax wool packs of New Zealand are not standing up to the tests in Bradford, says “The Australasian.”
A few months ago it was expected that the new flax pack would be preferred to the jute pack in New Zealand, and that before very long Australian wool would be shipped in packs made of Australian flax, but according to reports the flax wool packs are not meeting the requirements of the trade in Bradford.
To encourage the manufacture of flax packs the Government of New Zealand proposed to insist on one-third of the wool exports from New Zealand being shipped in flax packs.
Importers in Bradford are now disturbed at the prospect of New Zealand wool arriving in unsuitable packs, and the British Wool Federation is protesting to the representative of the New Zealand Government in London.
New Zealand Flax
Production in England
[By Telegraph—Own Correspondent]
New Zealand Herald, September 25, 1937
Wellington, Friday
Flax seeds from New Zealand have been used to establish the only flax farm in England, according to advice received by the Department of Agriculture.
The farm is at Charleton, near Kingsbridge, and it was begun 10 years ago.
The present year, however, is the first time that the flax is being marketed.
It is being dispatched to various parts of England and Scotland and even as far north as Scandinavia.
The Charleton farm is the second effort to use the New Zealand flax in England.
The first was made in the Lelant district in Cornwall.
Then it was decided that Charleton Court farm would be a better place at which to cultivate flax and the majority of the young plants were moved there.
Later, however, the Charleton Court estate revived the plan, after purchasing the property three years ago.
Early this year it was decided to attempt to market the flax.
When marketing began the fibre bought £18 a ton in England.
Lately, the price has been £21 a ton.
The output of the flax farm is about 2½ tons a week.
- Source: Papers Past
