Adventure in New Zealand (Volume 2); From 1839 to 1844 with Some Account of the Beginning of the British Colonization of the Islands. Illustrations to

by Edward Jerningham Wakefield

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845. ... CHAPTER XII. Phormium tenax, or flax--Details of its manufacture--Flax-trade hitherto unsuccessful--The reasons--Flax agitation--Otaki--The Rev. Octavius Had field--His energy and disinterestedness--His wise benevolence--Results of commerce on the natives--Inducements to engage in trade with them--Opposition of Rauperaha and Rangihaeata--Good class of emigration--" Puffers," "grumblers," and " good colonists"--Advantages of an exclusive club--Mr. Charles Buller's description of " the gentlemen" colonists--Disgrace of Mr. Murphy--The Police Magistrates governing Cook's Strait--Fire of Wellington--Good results--Shipping--Death of Warepori--Sketch of the causes of his illness and death--Captain Smith's expedition to the South--Colonel Wakefield's visit to Auckland--Its harbour and the neighbouring country--Its society--Parkhurst boys--Picnics and balls at Wellington--Exports--Dye-bark--Titoki oil--Mr. Swainson's troubles with Rauperaha's annoying emissaries--His vain appeal to the authorities--Rauperaha'% slaves continue to encroach--Christmas sports at Wellington--Horticultural productions. At this period I began to pay some attention to the preparation of the phormium tenax by the natives; and determined to endeavour to resuscitate the trade which had once been carried on in that article, as prepared by them, from Sydney. Numerous experiments by White people for separating the fibre from the pulpy portion of the leaf had failed. Whether by boiling with soap, retting and beating like the European flax, passing between fluted rollers, or other processes which the foolish inventors made it a point to keep secret, the expense of producing was too great, and the material produced was generally harsh and inferior in quality to the produce of the native manufactu...

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2012

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