THE FLAX INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA. 
The Flax Industry in Australia 
a By R. B. WARD.* 
THE INCEPTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH SCHEME. 
Sa) EFORE the war, Russia produced no less than 80 per cent. of the world’s 
7 P<ej| output of flax fibre, and when the greater part of the Baltic provinces 
p}} fell into German hands, as well as the flax-growing districts of Belgium, 
became every day more and more acute. : 
. The Imperial Government offered, and is still offering, special inducements 
to the farmers in the British Isles to increase the cultivation of this crop, 
recognising that whatever might be the ultimate fate of these districts, it was 
extremely undesirable that the Empire should remain dependent upon outside 
sources of supply for the raw material of such an essential industry, both in 
peace and war. 
When therefore a meeting of agricultural scientists was held in Melbourne 
in November, 1917, at the instigation of the Advisory Council of Science and 
Beat Pare - THRESHING FLAX. : 
The head of the sheaf is passed between the revolving rollers, which crush the seed-bolls and - 
i i : ‘free the seed, which is subsequently winnowed. ad 
Industry, it was only natural that one of the. many subjects listed for discussion 
should be the possibility of successfully cultivating fibre plants in Australia. 
‘As the result of that discussion, a resolution was carried that the Advisory 
Council be asked to ascertain whether the British Government was prepared to 
purchase dew-retted flax fibre from Australia in 1919, and if so in what quantities 
and at what price. Inquiries were instituted accordingly, with the result that 
the Army Council in England agreed to purchase the fibre from the 1918 flax 
crop at £170 per ton cif. The Commonwealth Government thereupon, on the 
recommendation of the Advisory Council, appointed a Committee, under War 
Precautions Regulations, for the control and the development of the flax industry” 
in Australia, at the same time guaranteeing all growers of fibre flax in 1918 
£5 per ton for flax of specified standard. ; 
res *. Secretary, Commonwealth Flax Industry Committee. 
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