N. Z. INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 7

N. Z. INDUSTRIES

THEIR INAUGURATION^ AND

PROSPECTS.

CO-OPERATION OF STATESMEN, SCIENTISTS, AN.D COMMERCIALTSTS.

"Necessity, the mother of invention" —the saying has passed into proverb, and it is a truth often enacted in many phases of life. In commercial matters expediency pfttimes gives birth to ideas, and in our economic life the same principle operates—scarcity of goods, • independability of supply, high costs., or;perchance the' realisation of the necessity of establishing local industries to main- j tain and increase our population, are^all reasons why the number of farms and factories alike should grow with the development of %, natiqu.. / . . NEW ZEALAND'S LEAD. In New Zealand to-day State and science alike are assisting commerce to . achieve the goal of success. Our University laboratories are open to alert men ct ideas, and, the practicability of those ideas having been demonstrated, commercial' men now have the co-oneration of the State in the materialising of projected plans. All this machinery now exists in our progressive Dominion, our Department of Industries and Commerce, and the powers -conferred on it by Parliament, being of a' much more comprehensive nature than is probably the case i with 'any similar State Department the world over. / When occasion arises, as was the case recently in Palmerston North on the.inception of wood products manufacture, individual members -and officers of the Government are quick to pledge support to any industry of promise. the governor-general wishes success, .: The "Vice-Regal party recently attended demonstrations of wood distillation, and witnessed oils* acid, and metjiol alcohol extracted from waste wood. His Excellency was greatly interested in every process of distillation, and freely asked question^ in connection therewith. His parting remark-was, "I wish you every success!" ■■' \ THE PRIME MINISTER'S SURPRISE.

The Hon. W- F. Massey, when given ocular^ demonstration of how "profits simply poured from waste wood," stated that he "had not' had the slightest idea that sp much wealth CRuM be extracted from such apparent waste I" He expressed his wish for the success of the company ancj the early establishment of the industry. • . ; . GOVERNMENT FORESTRY*" EX- '' PERT'S' OPINION., ' ■ Captain L. Macintosh k Ellis,' Government Forestry Expert, said the company " was oil right lines." find advised the principals to devote their attention to the production of commercial fuels from the vast resources of raw matpria} at hand. ""Wealth from waste" was a, true ..description of the commercial' possibilities of turning to good account the worthless refuse of tree stumps,, roots, sawdust, and vegetation. Captajn Ellis made; it clear that i-he resources of his • Department were a-t {he disposal of the Nfew Zealand Oil and Acid Extraction Co., Ltd., to assist at' all times in further scientific Research work. -■• „ ■ AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY,';" The various products arising from the chemical treatment of wood and vegetation are just as essential to our oconomic existencei as food and clothing are to the life arid health-of. individuals^-. i And wood products will continue to be used in every phase of life just so long as scribes use ink and chemists medicines, and so long as orchprdists spray trees and farmers dip sheep!; while ships . sail the s.eas paints embodying valuable, wood oils will.be required, and so long as climatic influences cause'deterioration in paints and depreciation of timber oils and creosotic wood preservatives' will be ever in demand; while cooks continue to use flavouring essences. and so long as jadies use dyes and perfumes, the 1 " wood products " industry wijl be essential —and these are but. a fraction of the uses, commercial and medicinal, ipr the products of wood. . • •'. ■ CONVINCING-FIGURES. ' In comparison with the best yields.of New South Wales, as published by the N.S.W. Government, New Zealand rata firpwood yields 150 gallons of liquid compared .'to 100 only of that of N.S.W. V Of the 150 gallons of valuable liquid, the New Zealand timber yields' 25 gallons of Stockholm tar —or 350 per cent, more than that extracted from Australia's best , timbers.- lii both - " quality" ap4 "quantify", pur native timbers exceed those of Australia by from 60 per cent. more Hi acetic properties to hundreds per cent, more in other valuable commercial commodities. - .•■•„•■ A BIG MARKET. '* This , Dominion spends approximately one million and a. quarter sterling each I year in wood products and commercial fuels—thus presenting big possibilities to the wood-products- industry. And when one reflects on the fact that practically the entire commercial fuel -bill and four: . iiftjis of the wood-products bill is place 4 by. Jfew Zealand people into the coffers of American and Canadian magnates, the reasons are all the more obvious why New Zealanders in general and frugal and financial people alike should encourage local industry apd support the formation of local firms in a position to, supply. those requisite materials, for commercial and social existence. It is realised, also, that this position is the more pronounced in a country such as purs, where even Nature ■• herself. lias given us such a plentiful supply in both quantity arid quality of the requisite raw' material. ■"' DEMONSTRATIONS IN WELLINGTON. 1 It has been arranged that practical demonstrations of wood distillation will, by special -permission of the Technical Schools Board, be hoid in the local technical school on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week. At 3.30 eachafternoon, and again at 8 o'clock each evening, Mi\ A. E. Aldridge, the demonstrating chemist of the New Zealand- Oil and Acid Extraction Co., Ltd., will give scientific and educational demonstrations similar to those £iven before their Exr cellencies Viscount- and La&y Jellicbe and the Hon. W. .F Massey.' At Wednesday afternoon's demonstration the New Zealand Government Industries and Commerce Department and the Forestry Department will be represented. An opportunity will be' afforded, those atr tending all demonstrations^to ask'quesT tions. and learn as much as possible concerning -the future of this promising and profitable industry.