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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 1 (May 1, 1932.)

“When as in Flax my Julia Goes.”

“When as in Flax my Julia Goes.”

We shall yet, I hope, have to give Her-rick's line, a new and popular rendering as above. That is, when our valuable and unappreciated phormium tenax plant comes into its own. There is some discussion at present of a revival of the flax-milling industry, and of a widening of the field of uses for the fibre. I often have thought that if our native flax grew in some other country, say in America, it would long ago have become perhaps a staple wealth-producing item. Here it has too long been regarded as a kind of weed, growing anywhere, and neglected because of its very abundance.

page 37

It has been established by experiment that flax is of use for many purposes besides ropes and cordage and binder-twine. A century ago it was discovered that it made excellent sail material for ships, in lieu of ordinary canvas. The Japanese have made paper out of it. But for one of its great uses in the future we shall have to take a lesson from the Maori. Clothing, both soft and warm, can be made from the flax. The korowai and kaitaka robes and shawls—miscalled mats—woven with primitive appliances by Maori dames from the hand-dressed fibre, are not only handsome and graceful but combine the qualities of cotton and wool.

Many years ago, a King Country correspondent lately mentioned, a bale of flax which was sent to Japan was converted into beautiful artificial silk, and the proprietor of the mill had a dress made for his wife from a piece of the woven material. This dress was worn and was greatly admired.

There should be more than a hint in that for some of our enterprising business men. The material is here, in every swamp. It grows quickly, it can be harvested indefinitely. May there not come a time when our women will be proud to display dresses and cloaks which have the merit of real originality. She could not but be graceful in a flaxen robe which can be dyed any colour, and which naturally falls into those easy lines of liquefaction that pleases the poet's eye.

“O radiant Dark! thou hast a joy too deep for shallow Day.”—George Elliot. Auckland station by night—a photographic study by W. W. Stewart.

“O radiant Dark! thou hast a joy too deep for shallow Day.”—George Elliot.
Auckland station by night—a photographic study by W. W. Stewart.