FLAX COMMISSIONERS.

G.—No. 17

7

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 12Jibs. ; from these I extracted about 16Jper 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 Zaaland 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 extracted 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 his 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 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, 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.

Mark Lane, E. 0., Dear Sir, — London, 17th October, 1871. 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. Henry 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 yarns. 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 theffibre 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, J. Morrison, Esq., C. Thorne. New Zealand Government Agency.

16, Mark Lane, E.C. My Dear Sir, London, 23rd November, 1871. I have this morning had a conversation 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 in England he showed Messrs. Marshall, of Leeds, some native-dressed fibre, and they told him they could spin it if they had a quantity. He has lately sent them about^OTbs. weight, and now they write they can do nothing with it. He has given me a sample wliich accompanies this. I told him I believed you could spin it into a very fine yarn. He wants to get a correct report upon it from some one who will not simply say what they think can be done on looking at a sample, and then, when the bulk is sent, give an opposite and adverse report, but who will carry out the