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44 THE LEAF-FIBRE OF NEW ZEALAND FLAX.
Henslow, of Cambridge ; Dr. Hooker, of Kew ; M. C. Cooke, of the
India Museum, and other eminent authorities on paper manufacture,
or paper material. Among other results I was somewhat surprised to
find that the amount of non-utilized material, quite equal in value, I
believe, to New Zealand flax as paper stufi", is enormous. Fibres suit-
able for paper-making, as well as for the manufacture of cordage and
textile fabrics, abound in all parts of the world, that are characterized
to any extent by higher vegetation, especially in all tropical, warm, or
temperate climates. Many of the British Colonies are hence most
prolific, especially the East and West Indies, Mauritius, and Natal.
All these colonies, however, have this advantage over New Zealand,
that labour is abundant and cheap,—that of negroes, coolies, Kaflirs,*
or other natives of the tropics, being largely available in all of them.
These colonies are, besides, nearer England, and they have many
other advantages over a distant young colony. From all which it fol-
lows, that there is little likelihood, I fear, of New Zealand flax com-
peting with other fibres as a paper material, unless in the local market.
Olher Economical Applications of the Fibre.—In the New Zealand
Exhibition of 1865 there was shown a complete series of flax-made
fabrics from the coarsest to the finest, including railway cloths, sail
cloth, canvas, duck, twill for cavalry trousers, and cambric; but such
specimens have a very limited value ; they show what can be made of
New Zealand flax, under certain exceptionable circumstances, but they
do not exhibit the cost of production. In point of fact, such speci-
mens can only be regarded as " fancy " articles " got up " for exhibi-
tion,—mere curiosities of local ingenuity and industry. They have been,
for the most part, manufactured with great care from fibre dressed
with great laljour and at great cost. Articles similar to the samples
could not be produced at prices nearly equal to those of jute or hemp.
Eriant regards New Zealand flax as suitable for coarse bagging, corn-
sacks, wool-sheets and bands, hop-bags, and similar articles, which,
liowever, in this country a^ least, can be made infinitely more cheaply
from jute, even though the latter is itself at present somewhat dear.
The " tow," or refuse flax, from cordage-making (in the form of an
avvled fibre like "corn") has been found suitable for stuffing mat-
* In the soiiili island of iNevv Zcalaufl there are very few natives, about
2200, ill Olago only 500, and in the north, where there are still 53,000, their
laboui' ia much more valuable tliau that of negroes or coolies.