THE WOOL INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 18

THE WOOL INDUSTRY.

VARIOUS PACK FABRICS, TROUBLE WITH FIBRE. . Quite a -lumber of efforts! havo been Tmdo recently to manufacture a ■woolsack "which will permit tho wool to be taken out free of vegetable fibres, but, up to the present, none seem to have come up to expectations. One of tho first ideas was to line ordinary juto packs with paper, but, in addition to adding to the cost, this practice did not prevent the frayed ends of tho juto from mingling .with tho wool where the bales were cut open for inspection. Later came tho wire-lined pack, but this again did not meet with full approval. The most recent invention is known as *l,e A 7 an der Jact process, and is a depart uio from previous methods, "'says the 'Australasian. Mr. Van der Jact has avoided jute and utilised cocoanut fibre, under a process that is claimed to produce a quality of fabric to meet all requirements. It is stated that the new fabric is not nearly so apt to fray as tho present juto fabric, and that it can he manufactured in tho Pacific mandated territories at a price which will enable it to compete successfully against jute packs. Until tho new pack has been submitted to practical ; t must he accepted with caution, as the cocoanut fibre, like jute, is a vegetable product, and, therefore, T%ill not tako the same dyes as wool. Demands from Bradford. Bradford manufacturers have been most insistent in their demands for an improved ,woo!pack. They point out; that thousands of people havo to bo employed in picking out from woollen material the frayed of juto from the present packs. Other textile centres do not object so strongly tq the vegetable fibres, because mo?t of the wool used is carbonised, the juto being destroyed in tho process. It is natural enough that Bradford should desire an elimination of the cost of pickars, but woolgrowers aro well awaro that buyers of their product secure compensatory advantages. Nothing is allowed on the packs, the weight deducted being actually more than it should be. After the packs are emptied they are sold at prices sometimes in excess of 50 per cent, of tho original cost, hut this fact is carefully suppressed. Why primary producers should so often provide containers for their goods free of cost it is difficult, to understand; it is a matter of precedent apparently. Used packs are utilised for various purposes, such as linings for furniture, and so .on. / In view of the secondhand value of tho packs, from which buyers alone benefit, growers cannot bo expected to pay more for an improved pack unless they receiva adequate compensation, especially when Bradford is about the only manufacturing ccntro affected. Quality of Jute Fabric.

While much attention is being paid to new processes for woolpacks, it, is singular that/so little effort lias been made to improve the quality of the present jute fabric. It has been very emphatically stated by one. close in touch with jute manufacture, that there is postively no necessity for a pack weighing The maximum weight required to ensure sufficient tensile strength is 91b., and anything over and above this weight is composed of more or less waste product. My informant has experimented with a/6jlb. pack, and believes it to be eminently satisfactory. He has put ova 4801b. of wool «n one of these packs, and it has withstood pressing, handling, and dumping without ill-effect. The dark brown fibres .seen in a standard pack are the product of root, growth, and are practically valueless. ]t may be assumed that if a lighter ute pack of better quality were used, less frayed ends would find their way into the wool. The extra cost, of an improved fabric would be more than compensated for by the saving in •weight.