36 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[Mar. 
flax demanded expert mycologists, entomologists, chemists, agriculturists, 
horticulturists, &c., and this was only possible in a central station. He 
described briefly what had been done for the sugar industry in Hawaii 
by the sugar-planters’ experimental station, and advocated the formation 
of a similar station by the flax-planters. 
Dr. J. A. Thomson, in supporting Dr. Tillyard’s recommendations, 
expressed disappointment with what he had heard so far. Mr. Seifert had 
stated that the control of the disease was not the fla.x-millers’ business. 
Knowing Mr. Seifert’s activities in this direction, he thought that it would 
be unfortunate if this statement were allowed to stand. Three years ago 
Dr. Cockayne had suggested the selection of disease-resisting strains, but 
nothing seemed to have been done, and he had not heard any mention 
that it was proposed now to be done by any one in particular. Was it to 
be left solely to the Government ? 
Mr. Seifert, in explanation, stated that he had meant that the actual 
investigations were not the business of the millers, but of the scientists. 
As the industry was likely to expand greatly by the planting of flax on a 
large scale, it was not fair to saddle the present small areas with the whole 
cost. The question to be decided was how much the present areas should 
stand, and how much the Government, representing the whole people, 
should contribute. 
Professor Easterfield then dealt with the chemical aspects of the 
industry, and traced the history of the leaf from the swamp to the finished 
fibre, showing the amount of loss of weight at each stage. He stated that 
in reality the machinery was much more efficient than was generally 
supposed. It was foolish to think of turning stripper-waste into paper, 
and this fact must have been known to those who made paper from 
flax as far back as 1830. A number of other possible uses of flax-waste 
were mentioned, and a scheme outlined for the extraction of alcohol, 
the manufacture of fertilizer, and the provision of boiler-fuel from this 
material, of which one mill in the Manawatu provides over 30 tons 
daily. 
Mr. Bell deprecated comparison of the flax industry with the sugar 
industry in the Hawaiian Islands, on the ground that in the latter place 
the land was only fit for growing sugar, whereas in New Zealand the 
flax swamps could be easily converted into dairying-land. Consequently, 
if it was desired to retain the flax exports, it was a matter not for the 
millers but for the Government, and not for a flax-millers’ experimental 
station. 
Dr. Tillyard, in reply, pointed out that quite a considerable area of 
good land in the Hawaiian Islands was being put under pineapples instead 
of sugar, and this was an exact parallel to the position here, where it was 
suggested that dairying should replace flax-growing. 
After some further discussion, in which flax-millers and representatives 
of the Department of Agriculture took part, it was resolved, on the motion 
of Dr. Tillyard, That a committee of flax-millers and members of the 
Congress be set up to go into the matter of forming a biological station 
to have the yellow-leaf disease investigated from all sides. The following 
were appointed members of the committee : Messrs. Ross, Seifert, and 
Bell, representing the flax-millers; and Professor Easterfield, Dr. Tillyard, 
Messrs. A. Cockayne, and R. Waters, representing the Congress. 
At a general session of the Congress held next morning the committee 
submitted the following report, which was adopted by the Congress. The 
committee were asked to continue their deliberations, reporting as occasion 
demanded to the Standing Committee of the Institute. 
