SCRAP RUBBER

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1942, Page 8

SCRAP RUBBER

CONTROL NOTICE ISSUED. WELLINGTON, July 16. “In 1938 the United Nations controlled 100 per cent, of the world’s supply of crude rubber. In 1942 they control only 8.9 per cent., leaving 91.1 per cent, in the hands of the Axis Powers,” said the Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) to-night. “These are startling figures, and their message is plain. The repercussions of the grave rubber shortage have made it vitally necessary for New Zealand to conserve to the limit all available supplies. To that end, therefore, the Scrap Rubber Control Notice has been gazetted. This specifies the types of scrap rubber which must be salvaged, and also prohibits the destruction of any scrap rubber. The items listed are comprehensive, and exclude only vulcanite in the field of manufactured articles. The-notice also prohibits the use of any motor-vehicle tyre or tube or any other article whatsoever that is substantially made of rubber except for the purpose for which it was originally made.” . The Minister added that in some respects the position as far as supplies were concerned could be alleviated by the use of reclaimed rubber, and he appealed to people to collect voluntarily every possible scrap of old rubber which may be left at garages, dairy factories, and other collecting points. Scrap will be sold in the main to reclaiming works at Auckland and Christchurch. Surplus scrap rubber would be shipped overseas in exchange for manufactured rubberware, and any surplus funds accruing would be given to the' Patriotic Fund. The various collectin f r agents would be reimbursed only for out-of-pocket expenses involved in handling. DRUGS CONSERVATION.

WELLINGTON, July 16. The need for conserving drug supplies was referred to by the Minister of Health (Mr. Nordmeyer), when announcing to-night that a national formula prepared by the Health Department with the co-operation of the British Medical Association had now been published. Copies are being forwarded to all doctors, proprietors of pharmacies, and senior medical students. ~ „ Mr. Nordmeyer said that the aim ol the formularv was to encourage doctors to be sparing in the use of drugs in short supply, and to reserve these drugs for cases in which their use was essential. He emphasised, however, that the formulary did not impose any restriction on drugs which doctors might prescribe. It _ was simply a means of directing their attention towards economies which the extension of the war to the Pacific made imperative. Its use wouid ensure the maximum benefit to patients from the drug supplies available and assist medical practitioners to economic and -effective prescribing, lhe formulary consisted of a number of ovoparations in common use and would, it was hoped, replace numerous hospital and friendly society formularies now in use. Mr. Nordmeyer said he would like to make public acknowledgement of the assistance rendered by many doctors, particularly by Dr. E. W. Giescn and Piofessor F. H. Smirk, who had given great assistance in the detailed selection and arrangement of formulas.

LOWER SPEEDS ESSENTIAL WELLINGTON, July 46. “Because of the acute shortage of rubber, tyre wear simply must be reduced to a minimum, and to travel at the reasonable speeds laid down by the Heavy Motor-Vehicle Regulations is one important means of conserving tyres,” said the Minister of Transport (Mr- Semple). The Minister appealed to road seivice operators and drivers to cooperate in keeping speeds down, and he added that instructions had been issued to all departmental traffic inspectors strictly to enforce the regulations. „ ... “Any Army drivers offending will be reported to their commanding officers, who will deal with them, and in other cases where speeds are excessive the Transport Department will prosecute the offenders,” stated Mr Semple. “If it should be found necessary to use speed traps, this method of detection will now be employed. The unnecessary wastage of tyres due to high speeds outweighs the value of the little time saved, even on the essential work of to-day, and tnis wastage will not be tolerated.”