IMPERIAL INSTITUTE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 12 December 1923, Page 14

IMPERIAL INSTITUTE

NEW ZEALAND RAW MATERIALS

INVESTIGATIONS AND ADVICE,

waoii our own corrupokbiki.) LONDON, 19th October. Thanks largely to the critical faculties to be found in the New Zealand High Commissioner and his radical objection to badly, applied public funds the work of the Imperial Institute and its value to the Dominions who subscribe to its upkeep are subjects to be seriously considered by the Imperial Economic Conference. A comprehensive report covering some 300 pages on its operations has been published this week, and from this may be seen the extent of its activities. During the year a number of investigations on behalf of New Zealand and Samoa have been carried out by the Institute. Samples of hemp fibre summitted by inventors of special processes were examined at the request of the High Commissioner and reports furnished as to their quality in comparison with commercial grades of the fibre and as to the probable value of the processes of preparation. Samples of the by-pro-ducts of the industry, e.g., tow, waste, and "gun,".' were aleo examined. It was found that the waste, of which large quantities are stated to be obtained in preparing the fibre, would ba of value as a manure, for which purpose either the I original material or the ash obtained on burning it could be employed. The ash might also' be utilised "as a source of potash salts.

Samples of waste wood and sawdust from timber mills—eight varieties of wood in all—have been examined to determine their suitability for the production of wood pulp. Some' of them furnished satisfactory yields of pulp of good quality which bleached readily, and. would be suitable for the manufacture of paper in New Zealand. The commercial possibilities of utilising the woods for this purpose are now being investigated by the Forest Department. BEECH TIMBER. With reference to the New Zealand beeches, this species furnishes a compact timber, of good appearance and.! strength, which could probably be utilised for a variety of purpose's in the United Kingdom, e.g., in the furnitm-e | trade, for cabinetmaking, bobbins, spools, rool-handles, and turnery, and possibly for wagon-building. Subsequently a specimen of Southland beech was received from New Zealand and was found to be suitable for the same purposes as the red beech. There is no doubt that these beech timbers could be utilised in the United Kingdom, Tjut the controlling factor will be the price at which they can be offered in competition with other' similar woods. Trials were also made to determine the suitability of Southland beech for making boot-lasts : in place of 'American rock maple, of which supplies were then scarce. The timber proved to be suitable for the purpose, although not so good as rock maple. ; It might, however, be utilised for, boot-lasts in New Zealand, and suggestions on this point, together with sample lasts made from the wood were forwarded ■to the Dominion. • ' CANDLE NUTS. The assistance of the Imperial Institute was requested in connection with the possible utilisation of candle nuts, a consignment of which was forwarded from the Cook Islands. The nuts furbished the average quantity of oil, which possessed the usual characters of candlenut oil from other sources. This oil is suitable for the manufacture of paints and soft soap* but cannot. be • used for edible purposes owing to its purgative properties. The kernels of the nuts or the oil would be readily saleable in the United Kingdom if available in large and regular quantities, and information was therefore supplied by the Imperial Institute as to methods of preparing the kernels for export. AUCKLAND CLAY. A number of clays from the neighbourhood of Auckland were examined in order to determine their suitability for the manufacture of aluminium. The composition of the clays was found to be unsatisfactory for this purpose, but technical trials made' at the Imperial Institute indicated that they could be utilised for the manufacture of porcelain, pottery, or tiles, or for cement-making if used in conjunction with a good limestone. SAMOAN COCOA. The quality of the cocoa produced in Samoa has received attention. Fifteen samples prepared by different methods' were examined, but they proved to be inferior in quality to the best Samoan cocoa which comes on the market, and it was recommended that an endeavour I should be made to produce only highgrade beans of pure Criollo type, known commercially as "Finest Samoa." Sixteen samples received subsequently were somewhat better, but they were still too mixed to be regarded as ? good quality of Samoa cocoa, and they had moreover been imperfectly prepared. Information was furnished regarding the production of potash and lanolin from wool-washins; liquors. A sample of lanolin received for examination was found to comply with the British Pharmacopoeia standard.