Has the New Zealand Flax been within your Knowledge used for Cordage?
- It has; we have used it of our own Manufacture, and we use it now. It is brought over in a very rough State. It has not been generally introduced from its having been imported in a very indifferent State. This is the State in which it comes over (producing a Sample).
Is it not like ordinary Flax?
- No, it is not; it is the Phormium Tenax.
You say you have manufactured it; to what Purposes have you applied it?
- For Rope. It has been manufactured in a Variety of different Ways; it has been manufactured with Tar alone. The Fibre is naturally a very harsh and hard Fibre; with Tar it is still harder. It has been manufactured with a Species of Caoutchouc or Indian Rubber; when immersed in Water the Caoutchouc separates from it and floats at the Top; the Fibre is no longer protected. We have combined a Composition of Caoutchouc with the Tar, and find that answer; but there has been a great Prejudice against the Flax in consequence of its having been badly prepared.
It retains a Sort of Brittleness?
- It does if prepared in a particular Way.
Did you ever try it with Kyan's Patent?
- No, I have not. We use it for Whale Lines; we prefer it for Whale Lines to any other Description of Rope, and the Whale Lines are the most important Lines we have in our Vessel. A whole Scool of Whales may be lost by the parting of a Whale Line; Property to the Amount of 2,000l. or 3,000l. may depend perhaps on a Whale Line.
Do you consider that the Trade in New Zealand might be increased to any considerable Extent if there was more of Order and legal Government established?
- I feel satisfied that it might be.
Have any of your Ships ever brought home other Produce; any Corn?
- Not any. They have obtained Provisions there; Pork and Potatoes.
Are there Cattle there?
- They have a few Cattle.
They cannot get supplied with Salt Beef?
- No. The Missionaries, I think, have a few Cattle; and one of the Natives, I understand, has some Cattle.
Have they the common English Potato or the Sweet Potato?
- The Sweet Potato. I am not aware that they have any other Potato.
Are the Harbours of New Zealand many?
- They are very extensive and very numerous.
Are they adapted or likely to become the Scene of piratical Enterprise if no Law is established there?
- We have every Reason to fear they will; the Whaling Vessels are so well suited for that Purpose, to be converted into piratical Vessels; the Nature of the Crews likewise, from their disorderly and unmanageable Description; they are almost always in a State of Mutiny when they go into Harbour.
What Temptation will any one have to convert a Whaler into a piratical Vessel there?
- The great Chance they would have of capturing Vessels from and to New South Wales.
The great Chance would be of capturing Vessels at Sea; but not of plundering the Inhabitants of New Zealand?
- I do not infer that they would plunder the Inhabitants of New Zealand; but almost every Time a Vessel goes into Port, not only in the Bay of Islands but in various other parts of the World, the Men go on shore and get into a State of Drunkenness in the numerous Liquor Shops established by Men who have quitted other Ships, and who incite the Crews to mutiny; then, from the Circum-
