NON-FERROUS METAL COLLECTION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 64, 9 December 1940, Page 10

NON-FERROUS METAL COLLECTION

Progress Of Drives

32 TONS IN STORE AT HUTT WORKSHOPS Reports being received by the National Council for the Reclamation of Waste Material Indicate Unit the main drives, except in a few localities, tire nearing completion. In some cities and towns the sorting and classification of non-ferrous metals have been completed, while in other areas the work remains to be done. Al the Hutt Vttilej Railway Workshops, where the articles given by the public are melted down, tiiere are 32} tons, and similar letuins are expected from the three othei depots. The metal at. the Hutt workshops consists Of six tons of aluminium, 144 tons of brass, six tons of copper, five tons of lead, four hundredweight of zincsheet and If hundredweight of electroplate ware and nickel silver. Referring, in the course of a review of activities in various parts of New Zealand, to “The Dominion’s” editorial comment on the activities of the Wellington committee and the reply of the deputy chairman of the committee, Mr. A. R. Christian, a bulletin issued by the council at the end of last week states that the council considers that the Wellington committee deserves the highest commendation for its splendid efforts and that the results achieved have been most satisfactory. The Minister of Supply, Mr.'Sullivan, has brought under the notice of the council the desirability of continuing the collection of all waste material for the duration of the war. The Minister has been informed in reply that it was never the intention of the council and its associated boards and committees to discontinue the effort, and that, in regard to non-ferrous metals, further appeals would be made at convenient intervals. Collection of Paper.

Preparations continue to be made for the orderly collection of waste paper, arrangements having to be completed for the handling of the large quantitrf that are expected to be received, their storage at main ports, the shipment of 200 tons a week to Australia, and the disposal of a quantity to the New Zealand mills. It is possible that the work will not be completed in time for a drive to be launched till after the end of the year, but the public is being asked to keep paper against the time when it will be wanted.

The sale of waste paper is expected to yield a steady revenue to the district patriotic funds. A total income of several thousand pounds a year is expected from this part, of the council’s activities. In addition, it will provide materials for essential industries and obviate the importation of pulp. It is estimated that seven pounds of paper goes into each New Zealand home each week, and that the recovery, of 15.0110 tons of waste paper a year is possible.