IMPURITIES IN WOOL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 10

IMPURITIES IN WOOL.

SPOIUNC MANUFACTURED FABRICS. AN AMERICAN ULTIMATUM. To the credit of New Zealand farmers it can bo said that they realise the business importance of packing their wool free from tho contamination of foreign fibres. This caro in New Zealand, is recognised by thoso who buy. Efforts have long been made to difficulty of safoipacking, and tho various methods proposed and put into use give hope that soon- tho trouble will bo entirely at an end. The American trade in particular—so valuable to our wool industry—demands a wool perfectly freo from false fibres, and is prepared to-pay for it. Recently'sixty of the leading wool buyers of: America signed the following manifesto:— "For many years past the wool , merchants»of the United States have mado ineffectual efforts to induce tho woolgrowers to improve their methods in . preparing wool for market. One of tho principal abuses is the tying up of ' fleeces with sisal twino, or so-called binder twino. Tho loose fibre from the twine clings to tho wool through all,the processes of manufacture, and causes imporfect goods, with consequent loss. x "We beliove if this serious matter is called to the attention of growers they will co-operate with the dealers and discontinue the practice of tying their wool with such- twino as described, thereby putting American .wools in closer competition with thosei of foreign countries.

t'Wo, the undersigned, hereby agree , to at once notify all our correspondents and buyers in the fleece wool section that we shall not accept wool tied with sisal twine nor wool that is tied with an undue .amount of string, as merchantable." ' . - A Sisal twine appears to be largely used by American wool growers, but in its results it is similar to the other vegetable fibres better known to New Zealanders. The fibres get into the cloth, and, after tho- dyeing process, reveal . themselves as undyea specks. ' :. ' > ' . Photographs were recently reproduced in thfi "American Sheepbreeder" of cloths containing as many as twelve of. these specks to a yard, "just think (comments that journal) of what an average of twelve .of these' sisal fibres to a-yard of cloth means to the manufacturer. If he is . making 1000 yards a day, which is. not,a large production, he has-12,000'0f. these sisal'Jibres to' remove from the cloth every day. ' The Extent of this sisal nuisaiicc is evidenced by a bunch of about. 11,000 sisal fibres picked frqm tile, cloth in one. day,.in..;ono worsted mill. These fibres twisted and embedded in the: cloth must be pickcd out before tho goods can be sold. . Under the most favourable conditions the work of removing them is slow and expensive, ' requiring skilMH operatives. The cost of the labour is, however, not the only expense.-. Frequently it is found impossible tq remove the sisal without leaving an imperfection for which tho manufacturer must make an .allowance of one-eighth .yard to the buyer. ■ In some cases these imperfections are so numerous that tho whole. piece of cloth must be classed as a 'second' and sold at a heavy discount. Another.form of fraud is tbeuse of, excessive or very "heavy twine; They 'manage' such things better in Australia and. New Zealand. In these great wool-growing countries tho packing and .sale of wool are carefully . regulated by laws 'that; aro enforced. . As a result-' Australian and New. Zealand fleeces are fastened with a very small quantity of very-good twine."'' — • —'