Flax and flax milling moments in history

Before Pae Korokī and Papers Past, the New Zealand Room librarians would note topics of interest in an alphabetised card catalogue, this is their selection of flax and flax mill stories from the Bay of Plenty Times and other sources.

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Chronological listing:

1800s

• 'Vincent' from Maketū with flax for Mr Wrigley. 12 October 1872.
• Mr W. Kelly, M.H.R., arranges a flax-mill site on a Matatā stream obtained from the Waste Lands Board. Engineer Mr Geo. Thompson will erect his newly patented flax-machine. Bay of Plenty Times, 20 June 1889, p. 2.

1900s

• Bay of Plenty Flaxmilling Co. Ltd incorporated on 17 June 1908.
• New 14 horse-powered regal engine to be fitted to Messrs Patterson and McEwan's launch 'May'. The vessel is to be used for towing purposes on the Kaituna River. Understand that the Company is to start flax dressing at the Paroa Mill. Bay of Plenty Times, 6 July 1908.

1910s

• Wilson and Alexander's Flaxmills on the outskirts of Te Puke was totally destroyed by fire on 6 August 1917. Te Puke Times, 7 August 1917.
• Fire completely wiped out Messrs Alexander & Wilson's flaxmill and outbuildings. Te Puke Times, 7 March 1919.

1930s

• Bay of Plenty Flaxmilling Co. Ltd wound up on 15 July 1932. Robert King and Daniel James McEwan were the main shareholders, Te Puke. National Archivs, CO-A1.

1950s

• Unpublished report by George S. Moss, 1955.

1980s

• New flax named 'Centennial Fanfare'. Bay of Plenty Times, 3 April 1982, p. 6.
• Action praised [naming competition for new flax breed]. Bay of Plenty Times, 24 April 1982.
• Jan Van de Klundert, Pukehina artist working with flax. Te Puke Times, 4 May 1988.
• Tauranga flax grower noted hybrid raiser. Timescan, 15 September 1989.

1990s

• Sculptures in flax. Profile on Jan Van de Klundert. Bay News, 4 December 1996.

2000s

• Mathematical bent to harakeke artist. Profile on Jan Van de Klundert. Bay of Plenty Times, 28 January 2000

 

Flax as an industry in Te Ao Marama - Tauranga City Libraries' Reference collections:

Phormium tenax as a fibrous plant. 2nd edition. Wellington, N.Z. : Government Printer, 1889. Special Books. 677.11 PHOR

Reasons for promoting the cultivation of the New Zealand flax / F. Dillon Bell. London : Smith, Elder, 1842. Special Books. 677.11 BELL

Harakeke : the Rene Orchiston collection / Sue Scheele. Third edition. Lincoln, N.Z. : Manaaki Whenua Press, 2005. Māori Reference. 583.69 SCHE

Te Puke flaxmills. Tauranga : R. Hart, 2017. Reference. 993.422 TEPU

Blood of the flax / Ray Caird. [Nelson] : Kete Media, [2019]. Non-fiction 821.92 CAIR

Agricultural organization in New Zealand : a survey of land utilization, farm organization, finance and marketing. Melbourne [Vic.] : Published for the New Zealand Institute of Pacific Relations by the Melbourne University Press in association with Oxford University Press, 1936. Special Books 631.47 AGRI

 

 

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• Selection of historic flax mill images from the archives:

Flax fibre stacks at Rangiuru flax mill, Kaituna, 1908.

Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 07-001

Jim Paterson standing in front of Paroa flax mill, 1912.

Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 07-009

"Flaxies" at Pukehina flax mill, Te Puke, about 1927.

Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 07-191

Kaituna Bond No. 397 issued to Alexander Francis Leckie, August 1929 by Flax Lands Development Ltd.

Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Ams 431/1

Te Ngohengohe Te Wheoro (nee Te Mete) "Mother of the Pā" drying harakeke (flax) in preparation to construct the tukutuku for the new Hangarau wharenui.

Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo gca-12154