INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10206, 17 February 1919, Page 6

INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE

WOOL SCOURING CAPABLE OF GREAT DEVELOPMENT. Press Asßocia,Uon. ' OHRISTCHUROH, February 14. Before the Industries Committee to<tay, O. H. Gilby urged the Government to form an Invention Board, which would protect patented inventions, in a similar way to that adopted by tho United States. Charles J ' Morrison aslced Tor * protective tariff on printing ink, similar to that in Australia, but said it would not be wise to see black newspaper ink made -dutiable. It would not, if a tariff were granted, raise prices, but it would enable manufacturers to maintain the present prices. The introduction" of a tariff m Australia had enabled at least two new tlrma to jzo into business. D. L. Dodd. on behalf of. Hutchinson's scales, said that his firm were the only seals manufacturers in the Dominion. The expansion of tho company's operations had been severely hampered by keen competition from the imported article. Ho asKed tor an increased tariff, and also wished the Government to abolish for publio us© all types of spring scales. G. W,. Skellery, on behalf of tho t'ara Rubber Company, Baid that for the past year there had been importations of car tyres to the value ot £700,000, cycle tyres to tho value o* £60,000, and mechanical rubber goods to the value of £IOO,OOO. Tho want of a tariff on imported rubber was hindering the industry. in tho Dominion. EVIDENCE OP WORKERS. That tho Freezing Works and Allied Trades Industrial Union is.alive to the necessity of the encouraging of tho woolscouring industry was demonstrated by the evidence of two of its representatives. The first was W. Curvis, who contended that the industry, with the assistance of a littlo legislation, could bo made ono of the most important in the Dominion, and would give employment to hundreds of returned soldiers. In the past it had been the custom to export wool unscoured, whatever its condition or quality. Previously tho employers had been handicapped by the lack or machinery, which necessitated drying outside. The -uncertain weather in New Zealand, therefore, prevented an extended scale, but with improvements in machinery, which could be made in tho Dominion, this argument as to outside drying did not operate. During tho past five years nn v average of 423,557 bales of greasy wool per annum had been exported, and an aveage of 49,503 bales of scoured wool He estimated a further 100,000 bales was suitablo for scouring in the Dominion. On this amount the saving of freight by tho loss of 40 per cent .of 'grease and dirt from the scouted wool would be £200,000. Another argument in favour of a larger proportion of Dominion wool being scured here was a saving in deterioration. Some classes of wool in ordinary times could not be easily marketedj and had to bo held for a long timo. Tho grit in it affected the quality of the wool in time, a fact that scouring wool hore would prevent. , The chairman asked the witness to formulate and draw out a scheme to submit to the Committee later, with reference to ths best manner in which the Government could give the desired assistance. • Mr F. C. Ellis, secretary of the [ union, said tho wool-drying industry could absorb a large number of men, including returned soldiers, if extended. Very little special training was I needed ,except in tho case of sorters, ! Vnt these men could be trained In technical colleges.