Numb. 49.
445

THE
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
Published by Authority.

WELLINGTON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1870.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 15th September, 1870.

THE following Report from the New Zealand Com-
missioners, relative to the Manufacture of New
Zealand Flax, is published for general information.
W. GISBORNE.

(No. 34.) London, 14th July, 1870.
SIR,-Adverting to the serious embarrassments which
must have been caused in the Colony by the doubts
which recent prices for New Zealand Flax seemed to
have caused as to its value, we considered it would be
advantageous to visit the manufacturing districts
where flax is used, and obtain the best information in
our power in connection with this material.

We have now the honor to enclose a report pre-
pared by our Secretary, Mr. Knowles, which embodies
fully the result of the inquiries which were made
during the visit to the districts in question.
We have, &c.,
F. D. BELL,
I. E. FEATHERSTON,
Commissioners.

The Hon. William Gisborne,
&c., &c.

London, 14th July, 1870.
GENTLEMEN,-In compliance with your suggestion,
Dr. Featherston and myself recently made a tour
through the manufacturing districts of England and
Scotland, with a view to obtain such practical informa-
tion relative to New Zealand Flax as might be of
service to the colonists in its preparation and export.

We visited Liverpool, Manchester, Rochdale, Leeds,
Glasgow, Greenock, Edinburgh, Pennicuik, Leith,
Kirkcaldy, Dundee, and Arbroath, and waited on
several of the principal ropemakers, manufacturers,
and spinners in those towns, taking with us samples
of the flax as prepared by the colonists and Natives
respectively.

We found amongst all classes a more or less prac-
tical acquaintance with the flax as ordinarily dressed,
and amongst the manufacturers and spinners a
general impression that it was not adapted, from
what appeared to them to be the nature of its fibre,

for any spinning purposes whatever; an impression
which it will be seen presently has been in great
measure removed.

The information obtained from the largest rope-
making firms in the kingdom, proves that the high
price given for New Zealand flax last year was not
on account of its known intrinsic value, but in the
belief that it would be serviceable as a substitute for
Manilla. Owing to the destruction of a large portion
of the Manilla crop by hurricanes two years ago, the
supply has been and still is so limited, that any
article that would work up with it or take its place
was eagerly sought after, and still continues to receive
a trial. Unfortunately the great bulk of the New
Zealand flax in the English market is of an inferior
description, dull in colour, harsh and coarse in fibre,
and very imperfectly freed from the leaf; whereas
the quality preferred by ropemakers is that which
most approaches Manilla, a bright pale colour, soft
and fine to the touch, and entirely free from scurf.

The samples answering best to the description re-
quired (so far as we have seen) appear to come from
Auckland; but in the best of them there is so much of
the straw, leaf, or scurf, as it is variously termed, still
adhering to the fibre, as to reduce its value consider-
ably. The machinery employed to dress the flax in
the Colony is evidently defective when it comes to
the tapering end of the leaf; and it would be much
better to cut six or eight inches off the end than
otherwise so materially depreciate the value of the
whole as is now the case. On this point the testi-
mony was unanimous. The slightest portion of
straw considerably lessens the value of the entire bale.
The first parcels that were bought by some of the
ropemakers were of a very inferior description, and
not answering to expectation a prejudice was created
against New Zealand flax, which time and the better
samples that are now coming forward will alone
overcome. The strength of the rope was found to be
much less than Manilla; and as it rotted more
quickly when exposed to the wet of the deck, it was
condemned by the Atlantic steamers first using it.
It has been in use, however, for running rigging by
sailing ships, and up to this date the reports have
been uniformly favourable. Many of the American