NEW WOOLPACK

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 64, 2 March 1929, Page 12

NEW WOOLPACK

RUBBERISED JUTE FIBRE. AVAILABLE FOR NEXT SEASON. Representatives of wool interests gathered in the Melbourne storerooms of Goldsbrough. Mort, and Company Limited,on February 14 to examine a new rubberised wool-pack invented by Mr P. Finlayson, a London chemist, in collaboration with Mr W. W. Gunn, of Crossover, near Warragul, and his brother, Mr Al. D. Gunn, resident in Melbourne.

For many years attempts have been made to produce a smooth surface pack which would eliminate tho mixing of jute fibre with the wool. One of tho chief problems confronting Bradford spinners is that of removing jute from the wool, and shortly before Mr W. W. Gunn left London tn October last year a conference of wool shippers and spinners was held at which a resume of experiments dur ing the last 40 years having beer, made, three different woolpacke were tested, one of which was that made of the material invented by Mr Finlayson. After the test one of tho leading Bradford spinners (Mr Dawson) said that wool spinners had been looking for 30 years for a pack which would not result in the mixing of jnte and wool. He added that the pack invented by Mr Finlayson was the only satisfactory pack that ini had seen. Mr Gunn said that no dissentient voice was raised against this opinion. The experimental pack which was shown weighed sjlb, compared with lljlb. the weight of the ordinary jute fibre pack. Hooks tore the pack, but Mr Gunn said that it was probable that fibre of greater strength would bo used in making packs for commercial use. In any case the new packs would be lighter than those at present used. The process consists of treating jute fibre with a special rubber solution so that the fibre is absolutely incorporated into tho final material. The process has been patented. Mr M. D. Gunn will leave in about a month for India to make arrangements for tho establishment of a factory at Calcutta for the production of the new packs. One thousand will be ready at the end of the present wool season, to be used in a trial shipment direct to Bradford, and it is expected that the new factory will be able to cater for a considerable proportion of Australia’s wool clip next senson. Mr Gunn stated that tho price of the new packs would bo tho same as that of the present jute fibre packs.