Problem Of Rusting Clotheslines

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31542, 2 December 1967, Page 1

Problem Of Rusting Clotheslines

Dozens of Christchurch housewives have complained about the poor quality of the galvanising on the wire of their rotary clotheslines.

The wife is rusting, they say, and could ruin clothes, particularly white garments such' as men’s shirts.

A reporter of “The Press” bought a new rotary clothesline hbout 18 months ago. When he inspected- it yesterday, he noticed that the socalled galvanised wires were covered with deep-brown thick rust.

When he telephoned the manufacturer of the rotary line, he was told that his complaint was one of literally dozens.

Because of import restrictions, it bad become impossible to get good quality galvanised wire from overseas, said the manufacturer. Wire had been bought from an Auckland manufacturer, at much greater cost than the imported product, but it had proved most unsatisfactory. In many instances it had rusted badly. To keep faith with the buying public, the Christchurch firm was rewiring lines that had rusted prematurely. A nominal charge of only $1.75 was made to help cover transport and labour costs. The firm was now obtaining galvanised wire from a new source in Auckland. This new supply seemed of better quality.