USE OF RAW RUBBER

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 174, 20 April 1942, Page 6

USE OF RAW RUBBER

Essential War Purposes

Only CONTROL OF SUPPLIES “The international situation has created problems of supply in manv ways, and among other raw materials that are the subject of control it has been deemed necessary to include raw rubber,” said the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, yesterday. “Anyone who has kept iu "touch with the position must realize that tlie acute world shortage of rubber makes it imperative for us in New Zealand to conserve to (he utmost all available and tioiential supplies.” Mr. Sullivan saiil that tlie Factory Controller, under tlie powers conferred on him by Hie Emergency Regulations, had given notice that no person who was Hie occupier of a factory or tlie owner of Hie factory maiorials, should use any raw rubber without tlie prior consent, in writin:.', of Hie controller. and that all stockists of raw rubber must declare their stocks to tlie controller. Stockists were reminded that stocks of raw ruober must be declared no matter for wliat purpose such stocks were held. By raw rubber was meant, rubber usually described as ribbed, smoked sheets, erepe, including Latex crepe, and liquid latex. Even where tlie s'leets bad been cut for t’ue manufacture of boot and shoe soles a full return of stocks must be made. Spreading the Use of Supplies. “This step has been taken,” said tlie Minister, “to ensure that supplies of raw rubber will be usel for only essential purposes. It will also havt-. the effect of spreading the use of available supplies over as long ,a period as is possible consistent with efficient production. To achieve this objective tlie use of rubber will necessarily he stopped in all cases where it is not deemed essential. The manufacture of many articles will definitely be stopped, aud iu this category there will doubtless be included many articles which we have come to look on as essential. “1 cannot stress too strongly,” said Mr. Sullivan, "that tlie use of raw rubber will be directed to vitally essential production onlj'. and I am sure that our people will gladly forgo the use of many articles in the interests of. absolutely essential industry in the production of the country for war purposes and necessary Chilian needs.”

WASTE RUBBER

Collection To Be Made In New Zealand A cablegram published on Friday announced that the saving of old rubber had begun in England. Shortly the collection of ol'd rubber will begin iu New Zealand too. Of the world's rubber supply, So per cent, normally comes from Malaya, and that source is not now available to the Allies.

.Mr. V. S. Noton, Wellington representative of Reid (N.Z.) Rubber Mills. Ltd., Auckland, said on Saturday Hint new plant had been installed at the New Zealand mill for processing again old rubber, and it would be working in a few days'. No use had hitherto been made of old rubber in New Zealand, because there hail been no plant to deal with it. The second-hand rubber would be used not for the manufacture of articles that required a high quality of rubber, but for making hard rubber articles, such as storage battery cases, and other goods. Its use would relieve the demand for raw rubber. Tyre retreaders had been asked some months ago to save the rubber they stripped off tyres under repair, aud that bad been collected, but there was no market for such tilings ’as old tyres, because the freight made their cost at the mill too high. The waste materials organization would probably be able to arrange the collection of waste rubber satisfactorily, because of its special position. It would probably be favoured with special freight rates. Tlie greatest source of old rubber is 'discarded motor-vehicle tyres, which hitherto have been used as bumpers on launches and on jetties, or have been dumped on tips, or burned. 7) ben a car tyre is new it is 60 per cent, rubber. Rubber from almost any other woruout vehicle can be used.-

Remarking that he knew rubber tvres were being burned in furnaces in New Zealand, Mr. Noton had emphatically Hmt it was ‘‘a sin” for that to lie done today. He pointed , out that a great proportion of the New Zealand mill’s operations was war work. An officer of tlie New Zealand Council for the Reclamation of Waste Materials said an announcement on Hie collection of rubber would be made within a few days. Investigations had been made and an indication from the mill of tlie kinds of rubber that were required was awaited. He explained Hmt in asking for materials to lie saved, one had to be specific. I’eople who had old rubber should keep it till they were told what to do with it.