PROGRESS REPORT OF THE FLAX COMMISSIONERS.

Dr. HECTOR to the Hon. the COLONIAL SECRETARY.

SIR,—

Wellington, 20th December, 1870.

I have the honor to forward to you, for the information of His Excellency, a Progress Report
of the Flax Commissioners, with enclosed papers.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington.

I have, &c.,
JAMES HECTOR,
Chairman.

PROGRESS REPORT of the FLAX COMMISSIONERS appointed in accordance with the Resolution of the
House of Representatives.

THE Commissioners met at Wellington on the 17th November, 1870, and took at once into considera-
tion the appointment of Agents in England. They found it difficult to select competent persons who
could be invited to undertake the various duties with only such moderate remuneration as the Com-
missioners could offer; but they decided, with the consent of the Government, on making use of the
services of Mr. John Knowles, the Secretary to the Colonial Commissioners, as it was understood that
he would remain for some time in England, and his previous acquaintance with the flax question
renders him specially qualified for the office. They have also invited other persons to assist in making
inquiries.

As a great proportion of the mills had been closed in consequence of the fall in the price of flax,
the Commissioners did not think that the advantage to be gained by visiting all the districts where
flax had been manufactured would be commensurate with the expense that would be incurred by so
much travelling, and therefore resolved to confine these visits to such places as appeared to call for
observation and inquiry. And their attention having been specially directed to the preparation of flax
by the Natives by a very favourable report, copy of which is annexed, from the London brokers,
Messrs. White, Rennie, and Co., as to the value of a specimen of Otaki flax sent to them by the Hon.
Mr. Sewell, Colonel Haultain visited Otaki for the purpose of ascertaining the expenditure of time,
labour, and raw material incurred in its production. His report is appended, which tends to show that
notwithstanding the high price offered in England, it is doubtful if the Native process can be
profitably employed by Europeans; but it clearly indicates that the fibre of properly selected leaves
of the common varieties of the flax plant has a high intrinsic value, without the employment of any
elaborate chemical or mechanical process in its preparation.

The Commissioners were subsequently favoured with the translation of a circular letter addressed to
the Natives by the Honorable the Native Minister (copy attached), recommending them to turn their
attention to the cultivation and preparation of flax for the English market, and offering rewards for the
best samples; one of the first results of which was, that the Natives at Waikanae, under the direction
of Wi Tako, have agreed to supply the Commissioners with half a ton of their best flax for transmis-
sion to England.

As bearing on this part of the subject, the Commissioners attach an extract, which has been
furnished by a correspondent, from a letter received from a large manufacturing firm in England,
which they consider contains a great deal of accurate and very valuable information with reference
to the capabilities of the fibre, and the best mode of preparing it for the English market, as they believe
it will be read with much interest by all connected with the flax industry. They propose to forward
a quantity of the best Native-dressed flax to this firm, for experiment and valuation. The Com-
missioners have also made arrangements for sending to England, to be placed in the hands of
manufacturers and machine makers, samples of one ton each of fibres prepared by the following
processes:—

1. Maori-dressed.
2. Machine-dressed (from five different manufacturers), by simple stripping and washing and
   drying in the sun.
3. Machine-dressed, by rolling or other process, followed by retting or steaming, and chemical
   bleaching.
4. Chemical process, founded on experiments made in the Laboratory.

Full particulars as to the variety of the plant and mode of dressing have been required in every
instance.

Steps are being taken to secure chemical analysis and microscopic examination of the fibre in
England; and Dr. Hooker has been requested to select a competent person to conduct the same, and
to furnish fresh flax leaves from the Gardens at Kew for the purpose.

Information with reference to the cultivation and mode of dressing the Manilla hemp has been
sought from various authorities in England, India, and Manilla, and from the Spanish Government;
and samples of all the fibres that can compete with New Zealand flax have been ordered from England
for the information of our flax-dressers.

Experiments have been instituted to test the comparative strength and durability of flax rope, and
its resistance to the action of sea-water.

A piece of ground has been set apart in the Botanic Garden of Wellington for the cultivation of
flax, chiefly with the view of determining whether the varieties of the plant can be raised from seed,

Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, No. 1, of the 6th January, 1871.