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Story: Flax and flax working

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Bales of flax fibre are loaded onto a ship to be exported. Prices for flax on the world market varied, depending on the availability of other natural fibres, such as jute and sisal.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Sydney Charles Smith Collection (PA-Group-00242)

Reference: G- 47373-1/2

by Sydney Charles Smith

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Flax and flax working – The flax fibre industry: 1860s–1930s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/10414/loading-for-export (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 1 March 2009.