130

No. 2 is a skein of unbleached mixed yarn, made
from 75 per cent. of Riga flax and 25 per cent. of
New Zealand flax. This has been subjected, since
spinning, to the process known as "twice boiled," to
render it better adapted for weaving. This is thought
especially well of by the manufacturer, as the New
Zealand flax has increased the strength of the cloth
without in any way altering its general appearance.
No. 3 is a skein of mixed yarn as above, only sub-
jected to a "full bleach" instead of being "twice
boiled."
No. 4 is a piece of cloth made from unbleached
yarn of pure New Zealand flax. This was the first
attempt made by my friends in using New Zealand
flax. They told me I ought not to show this specimen,
as, in making it, they were really only feeling their
way, and finding out the treatment this fibre re-
quired. Nearly all fibres have some peculiarity,
which makes it necessary to adapt machinery for
their special treatment. This cloth was woven in a
"jute" loom.
No. 5 is a piece of cloth made from bleached yarn
of pure New Zealand flax. See sample No. 1.
Although an improvement on No. 4 it is far from
perfect.
No. 6 is a piece of cloth made from unbleached
mixed yarn. See sample No. 2.
No. 7 is a piece of cloth made from bleached
mixed yarn. See sample No. 3.
No. 8 is a sample of fibre extracted from leaves of
the Phormium tenax grown in the gardens of the Earl
of Shannon, at Castle Martyr, Ireland. These leaves
were kindly forwarded to me in the green state on
my application to his Lordship, as I was anxious to
prove that, if the process I used was properly applied
to the green leaf, the gum would be at once removed
without injuring the fibre. His Lordship's gardener
could only spare a few leaves, weighing 12½ lbs.;
from these I extracted about 16½ per cent. of fibre,
not sufficient for any practical purpose, but useful
as collateral evidence of the efficiency of the process.
This fibre is not fine enough for textile fabrics. I
have just heard from my friend at Arbroath, that he
hopes to have some canvas, fit for sail-making,
(entirely from New Zealand flax yarn) ready for
me in about a fortnight; but as it seems uncertain
when it will come to hand, I think it advisable that
you should have the accompanying samples at once,
so that you may send them to your friends in New
Zealand, and they may judge for themselves how far
the various statements put forward "that New
Zealand flax is not adapted for textile fabrics, and
cannot be manufactured," are correct. When ex-
tracted from young leaves, so as to obtain a fine fibre,
properly cleansed from the gummy matter, it can be
adapted to the manufacture of articles in daily use;
and when received in this country in large parcels,
sufficient to attract the attention of manufacturers,
there is no doubt it will go into regular consumption,
and leave a large margin of profit to the producer,
and thus tend to open up an important branch of
Trade for the New Zealand Colonies.
As you are aware, when I first tried to get this
fibre worked, I was told it could not be done, and a
large well-known firm in Arbroath, having proceeded
so far as to put the fibre in a "rove," wrote
stating that it could not be worked further without
special machinery, and even then it would be doubtful
whether it could be made into a yarn fitted for cloth;
yet this very same "rove" was worked into a yarn
by my friend the spinner, who has taken so great a
personal interest in my experiments; and a Dundee
manufacturer and his chief clerk also rendered me
very valuable assistance, and without their aid I
should not have succeeded. Some day I hope to be
allowed to make mention of their names, so that,

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
should these first efforts in any way call attention to
the usefulness of New Zealand flax, and thereby
promote this branch of industry, they may receive
that acknowledgment of their efforts to which they
are so fully entitled.

The spinner personally superintended the whole
work from fibre to complete yarn. This yarn was
spun upon flax machinery without any alteration;
but he tells me a very slight change would cause a
great improvement in the manufacture; but unless
there is a prospect of a large supply of the fibre
coming forward, it would be useless expecting the
manufacturers to change any portion of their
machinery. It is satisfactory to find that it is the
firm opinion of these practical gentlemen that this
fibre can be utilized, and will benefit not only the
colonists but also the flax spinners. It may be a
work of time to introduce it, but they have seen
sufficient, in carrying through my experiments, to
prove to them that this fibre would soon make its
position in the market.

Rope made from the fibre wears very well for
some time, and bears a good strain, but when once it
gives way, it seems to perish altogether, and does not
leave any portion sufficiently strong to take a splice;
but for many purposes it is much liked, and seems
gradually working itself into favour. Whilst sound,
it bears fair comparison with Manilla; unfortunately
it does not seem to last so long.

Hoping my information may prove of some interest
to you and your friends,

I am, &c.,
C. THORNE,
Assignee to Steart's Patent,
Registered in New Zealand.

J. Morrison, Esq.,
New Zealand Government Agency, London.

16 Mark Lane, E.C.,
London, 17th October, 1871.

DEAR SIR, -Begging reference to my letter to you
of the 30th September, I now have pleasure to hand
you the names of those gentlemen who so kindly
assisted me in getting my New Zealand fibre turned
into cloth.

The manufacturers were Messrs. E. Parker and Co.,
of Dundee: their chief assistant, Mr. Harry Roper,
superintended the weaving of the cloth. Mr. A. K.
Forbes, of Hatton Mill, near Arbroath, spun the
yarn, and personally watched the process from the
time the fibre entered the drawing-frame until it left
the spinning-frames in yarn.

Mr. Dick, a gentleman well known in Dundee by
the principal manufacturers, used exertion for me, in
the first instance, to introduce the fibre to notice,
and it was through his influence the attempt to spin
the fibre was first made; but unfortunately, as I
pointed out in the letter above referred to, the
spinner did not succeed in getting it beyond the
"rove."

I have, &c.,
C. THORNE.

J. Morrison, Esq.,
New Zealand Government Agency,
7 Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, S.W.

16 Mark Lane, E.C.,
London, 23rd November, 1871.

MY DEAR SIR, -I have this morning had a conver-
sation with Dr. Featherston, the Agent-General to
the Government of New Zealand. He does not seem
to get on very fast with manufacturers in getting
them to try experiments for him: in fact they nearly
always write to him that they cannot work even the
finer qualities of New Zealand flax. When he was
last in England he showed Messrs. Marshall, of