" LEATHERUBBER."

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 62

" LEATHERUBBER."

I Undoubtedly the discovery of a way to " regenerate " rubber, and make chips of worn-out tyres into a marketable commodity almost equal fro the original article, is a good one, but we see no necessity for j the new article coming into competition with leather at all. There will always be a big demand for certain classes of footwear—rubber heels, tennis ahoes, etc.— made | from "rubber, as there is at present, and! \ for these ihere is little doubt leatherubber will be used; in fact,, we can easily anticipate the moment when the use of rubber itself will be greatly restricted. Here we are ' faced by the problem as to how the l&atherubb&r people aro to get fche rubber part, of their raw material for their manufacture. Certainly they have a wide field for their activity; but there ate 'limits to the widest field, and in such cases as this the limits may possibly contract. At- present, however, there is no need to look co' far ahead But if there is & possibility of a curtailed i supply of the rubber material at some future period, there is a still greatei possibility ' of a limited supply of the leather material at any moment. Of course ire can only speak from what -anyone can ccc at the leath^ruhber factory, and that goae far to pjove that in the manufacture of the material there is used in bulk almost as much pulverised leather as (here is rubber. It is simply marvellous how much of the2eather dust is absorbed into the body of the prepared rubber during the pvocese. X V 3 closely incorporated into the substance, but leaves no apparent trace of its presence. It is a question ■whether some> other substance could not be used instead — at least that is what strikes an outsider; — but there is undoubtedly a sort of chemical affinity between fche two .substances which makes th-e operation of the chemical appliances effective, although the leather apjjaremtly loses all the peculiar characteristics of its original form. D>r Brown, suggested "the use of paper in the manufacture of the new commodity, and experhnieni may prove the possibility; but the affinity between the leath&r and rubber has already been sufficiently proved— proved to demonstration, — and we have, only to consider now ieatherubber as we ccc it. These questions are, of course,- for the consideration of the leatherubber management ; but also, of course, as die organ of the great banning- industry, this journal • claims the right of expressing a strong opinion. In the first place, there is very lifetle likelihood, indeed, of leather Ic&injr • its popularity. There have been scores of ' substitutes brought before: th© publio, but ev«n now— Mr Joshua notwithstanding — there is still "nothing like leather" in the opinion of the world. Even leatherubber is-, not likely to push it out of its high place in the world's estimation. There is plenty of scope for tho mc6i; towering ambition of the new industry. The gentlemen concerned have in their possession an article whioh can be utilised m ways innumerable without clashing witira the parent industry at aU. The manwfac- ,-\ turo of linoleums of the splendid - made in North Melbourne, should- occupy * trig *hare of atteniion--th» only drawback : is that these linoleums will probably lasfc^ a lifetime, end so there is little prospects., of renewal. We may, w© -hope, be allowea ■ here to express our unboundsed' admiration; for these fabrics, or whatever else one may, call them. The patterns, which we underatand will prove permanent, are- most artistic, and aro particularly pleasing to ttoe « Th^ manufacture of -furniture-covering' as • likewise an item of importance. The (fur- - face of leatfherubber can be emboeged wittfj the greatest facility, and, again, th«r© i ie a wide range for the genius of the. artistt. Some of the specimens on view show thai hitherto he has not been idle. A very striking sample is one very tfovn, flexible, but tough, glazed, almost like> pa,tejvfc feather, fo*. whioh it might easily, be mistaken. The finish 1b really extras ordinary -and most attractive. The glaze is another one of 3lr Stock*6 numerous din* ooveriee. Th« tannera and boot manufaoturera will undoubtedly be glad to have a buyer for the waste, which hitherto found ita way lurnaoe-ward J but unfair xiyalry is Bfrnply" oft* of the question. " — 198®;