ARTIFICIAL WOOL

Evening Star, Issue 22067, 28 June 1935, Page 7

ARTIFICIAL WOOL

GERMAN DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES DISCUSSED The development of the systematic wool styled woolstra is discussed in a circular issued by the Bank of New;. t South Wales. Woolstra, says the article, is a German woollen mixture, material consisting usually of 50 percent, vistra and 50 per cent, pure wool.Vistra is a fibre derived from the pulp of pine and beech trees. It is o£ fine, smooth texture, but straight,, weak, brittle, and inelastic. It would appear that woolstra of present etaudard cannoi; be a serious competitor; with pure wool. Vistra garments may ( be sort, washable, and " fast" of col* our, but they tend to stretch badly; either when washed or even when worn.: The properties of vistra resemble those of cotton. For instance, woolstramaterials afford less protection against cold than woollen goods, and they crease and tend to wear baggy. Fop these reasons they are not likely to capture the market for men's suitings.* Their main advantage is in price alone* and this is not appreciable at the present low prices for wool. But German spinners have not turned to this " substitute" through considerations of price alone, the article adds. Drastic restrictions in their wool imports, owing to the serious economic-' straits of their country, have dictated this course. Inability to import anything like the quantity of wool required is the chief reason for the introductionof poor quality materials. But it does" not seem likely that the nation will submit to wearing poor quality clothing when its financial and economic positionhas improved sufficiently to enable the purchase of the best materials. It is also noteworthy that thieiivood from which vistra is made has largely to be imported into Germany, and consequently is subject to exchange difficulties similar to those encountered by, wool. Unless the country's foreign ex* change position markedly then any considerable expansion in Ger- • many's output of vistra in the neap" future is not to be expected. - . While woolstra seems assured of V place in the woollen industry,--the article concludes, the fact of great-' est importance for wool-producing coun.' tries is that woolstra is decidedly inferior to the pure woollen product. Any,: advantage t in price alone, and ai present this is not great. DOLLAR AND FRANC Preis Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, June 27. • (Received June 28, at noon.) The dollar is quoted at 4.94, and the franc at 74 9-16. 'TRUTH'(N.Z.) LIMITED The directors of 'Truth' (N.Z.)'Limited have declared an interim divi. dend at the rate of 6 per cent, per anum for the six months ended March' 31 last.