WAR AND INDUSTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16646, 3 September 1914, Page 4

WAR AND INDUSTRY.

fro THE EDITOR. Sir, —The specialisation and centralisation of particular industries', which has boon a part of the industrial development of recent times, has made the different countries' dependent upon each other for various products. In tho manufacture of chemicals and dyes Germany has been pre-eminent, and many industries in almost every country have been customers to Germany for articles. Tr.ade and transport has been so regular since tho coming of the steamship and stocks can be renewed so frequently that largo stocks are never hold, thus the complete cessation of German commerce, which has resulted through tho war, is likely to seriously affect tho carrying on of a number of industries in this country. Amongst these is the leather trade. In this industry practically all the boot upper and many other sorts of leather are mado by the chrome process, which involves tho use of certain chromic compounds and chromatcs, and these are practically all procured from Germany, and unless supplies can be procured from elsewhere the production of this leather will not go on. It seems impossible to predict for how long this will bo, for whatever tho duration cf the war it will probably be a long while beforo trade with Germany is resumed.

It i i therofore a matter for consideration as to whether these articles can be procured or manufactured el".ewhere. In tho case of chromium compounds the manufacture could bo undertiken in New Zealand or Australia, practically all these compounds being prepared from chromito (chromo iron ore). This ore can be procured from New Culodonia, a French possession very neir to Australia and New Zealand, chrome ore being one of the principal exports of that nland. Chrome ore can also be procured within New Zealand from the Dun Mountain, near Nelson. The manufacture is not an expensive nroce s,, the details being as follows:--The chromatcs of potash or soda aro prewired by heating the powdered ore with lime, and (potash or soda) wlr'chovrr baso is required, the solution in water, and the filtration ot <ln residue leaves th? chromatcs of calcium and tho chromatcs of potash or soda in solution; the calcium h precipitated bv a sdut'nn of potassium or sodium sulphate. Further treatment with sulphuric acid reduces the chromates to.dichromates, and from the-o chromo alum, .a very extensively twd snlt. can bn p"spared by treatment with sulphurous'arid. It seems that tjw time is now opnortuno for some eh >micil or other firm to engage in the manufacture of these chrome compounds, which are very expensively us'-d in many industries. Tlrre are prolvbly many other articles which have hitherto been imr ported from Germany which mWit very well be manufactured h n re. acHin~ a fow more items to our industries and enabling those dependent trades to continue. As a worker in the leather industry I would b« phased to know of anyone who mav be disponed to consider the possibility of carrving out the proposals I have here suggested,— I am, etc, A. V. MOTJNTFORD. Woolston,. September 1. '■• ; -'