SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOL

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21808, 13 June 1936, Page 13

SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOL

Germany’s Progress With Wollstra PETROL PRODUCED FROM BROWN COAL (THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, June 12. The possible effect upon the export of wool from Australia and New Zealand if the manufacture of wollstra was undertaken seriously by Germany was discussed by Mr liars G. Brunsdahl. Trade Commissioner for the Leipzig Fair, who is returning to Sydney after a visit to Europe, where he investigated various synthetic proold mining tailings, or derelict timber land, which carried no stock and were useless for agricultural purposes. It certainly was not a new practice to resoil if the circumstances warranted it. , . In one respect no great progress had been made on the methods of 30 years ago, he added. This was in gold saving. He thought the use of silver would be an improvement, but dredgemasters were against this in New Zealand. However, a modem system of “jigs” was being tried out on one of the new constructions on the Coast to improve this part, but in any case recovery methods had to be varied to meet the particular class of ground. Power of Dredges Improved Another mining man with practical dredging experience in the “boom” of ‘ 30 years ago said that to the average observer there did not appear to be much difference in the design of today’s dredgea but all those on the Coast had double and treble the power, could put through treble the spoil, could dredge much deeper, and the cost a cubic yard was much cheaper. Probably more advance would have been made in design had dredging not been killed during the war, when the price of gold was retained at £4 an ounce and when the materials required for repairs increased by 300 to 400 per cent The extinction of the industry sent mining men and engineers abroad to the tin and gold-producing countries, and there had been no men coming on In the meantime to fill their places. “We certainly seem to have made no advance In gold recovery methods.” he said. “The destruction of arable land could be avoided if it was worth it, and in his own case he had been interested in land in the south where Useless swamp had been turned into good pastoral land by the dredging process lifting the surface level five or six feet, and giving it drainage that it had never previously possessed. The mixing of the peaty soil with the wash enhanced its quality considerably for grazing. In this man’s opinion there was room for improvement in the stability of some of the new machines on the Coast, but this defect was one of construction rather than of design. The absence of elevators on the tin dredges in the East might be possible because of the character of the material treated, but on the heavy West Coast country, where the tarings did not travel, he considered it would be impossible to do without elevators, , except In the shallowest of ground.”

ducts that are now being manufactured largely in Germany, Mr Brundahl said. The chief substitutes consisted of petrol and benzine from brown coal artificial rubber, nitrates, and, most Important of all from New Zealand’s point of view, wollstra. This substitute for wool, which consisted of a mixture of cotton fibres from waste products and 40 per cent, of wool, was now well on the course to perfection, and the progress made in its manufacture had been very satisfactory to all concerned, “If the manufacture of this substitute is undertaken seriously by Germany, it will react on the export of Australian and New Zealand wool,” said Mr Brundahl. “Although wollstra is only in its primary stages, if developed it will revolutionise the market, and have the same effect as artificial silk has had on real silk. It wears well, has the same appearance and weight &s ordinary wool, and in time will be produced at a cheap rate."

German Trade with Dominion “It is not Germany’s wish to proceed with the manufacture of this substitute, provided she, can place her products in fair exchange for wool,” continued Mr Brundahl. “She does not wish to compete with your secondary industries, but only to supply those lines that New Zealand cannot manufacture.” Referring ,to the production of artificial rubber, which contains a small percentage of scrap rubber, Mr Brundahl said that already it had given a diiierent aspect to the world market, and would have a great effect on the world’s supplies. Synthetic nitrates were being shipped to places as far away as China, and had made a difference in the export statistics of Chile, the principal source of nitrates. Leipzig Trade Fair “We are very anxious that New Zealand should exhibit at the fair, as we consider it is the world’s best market for displaying the' primary products of any country,” said Mr Brundahl, describing the spring trade fair at Leipzig which he attended at the beginning of the year. “In addition to an enormous number of buyers, there are many thousands of foreign visitors, to whom facts about New Zealand would be of interest.” Mr Brundahl added that the fair this year was the best attended since the war. There were 8200 exhibitors and 250,000 buyers were present from all parts of the world. Among them were about 50 buyers from Australia and New Zealand, who were very satisfied with the business they had done. German manufacturers were very anxious to do business with the Dominion, and particularly to negotiate trade in such primary products as wool.