THE RUBBER INDUSTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 90, Issue 14029, 4 April 1919, Page 3

THE RUBBER INDUSTRY

UTILISING THE WASTE.

FAR-REACHING INVENTION.

In these times when the cost of living is ever oai the soar, anything that wil] tend to its reduction' must

have a welcome place in the com

munity. In this connection we have a far-reaching announcement to make to our readers and to the public generally, in an important invention which will revolutionise' the world's rubber industry in motor car tyres, floor coverings, beltings, upholstery, leather goods, waterproof articles, and roofing and building materials of every description. There is at present in Hamilton' Mi John Baxter, one of the vendors and optionees of the Ncny Zealand Rubber Products, Ltd. During an interview a representative of this paper had with Mr Baxter he was afforded practical proof of what the new industry stands for. The company, which is now in process of flotation in New Zealand, will not only spell the establishment in the Dominion of important industries to supply the' entire demands of the goods which have been previously enumerated, and which at the present time are almost entirely imported from other countries, but its effects have a much more far-reaching result to the consumer in this Dominion. The point is that these goods can be supplied to •the public at such a reduced price as to confer.a decided benefit to the community, and prove a highly profitable investment for shareholders. This, is substantiated by the fact that during 1916, as the Comptroller of Customs' returns show, the importation into New Zealand of lines set out above -reached the value of £1,175,083. It, is at once obvious, even to the uninitiated, that there is a very wide field of profit available to investors. Mr Baxter, who is well known in the commercial life of the Dominion, showed to our representative various samples of the product which the company is concerned with. The crude or plantation rubber comes from Samoa and Fiji! ' Of course, the crude. article requires a varied process of working up to' produce the commercial rubber, which costs from os to 8s per lb. By the new process commercial rubber of the finest quality is produced at from Is to. Is (3d per lb, consequently a, tyre. 30 x and guaranteed equal to the world's best can be produced by the company at the factory cost of 255, and the same reduction of cost in manufacture applies'to everything producible in the rubber trade. When this is realised and that the new process can provide an article which will supersede: anything that leather, now makes available to the community at large, the wealth"'of'• the invention, wiW be better understood. A practical demonstration as to the durability of the articles, manufactured for lino, and beltiAig pnrposeis, With! therhewprocess.. was viewed, and after a-thorough ttest' there was not the slightest semblance of any defects in the' goods displayed, which are to be placed on the market at prices never luiown previously. The manufactured cost, we'were informed, was 2s 6d per square yard. Waterproof, tarpaulins, trench coats, motor car hoods, upholstering material, tiles for roofing,, and sheets for building, are productive from the treatment" of canvas under the invention, which opens in ther to the extensive range of the proposed; company's operations. The idea, is to get the farmers and the public generally to take up shares in the company, which is entirely of benefit to New Zealand and New Zealanders. The process, which bids. • fair to revolutionise the rubber, industry is the 1 invention of a New Zealander, Mr William Stocks.. Mr Stocks has spent over twenty years in the principal rubber mills' of the world, gathering information vlhich has helped in the solution of , the important problem he had under way; The process aims at the scientific use of crude rubber and waste rubber. It is common; knowledge that there is,. ah ' enormous annual waste in tyres .cast ■ aside, but with .the, ■establishment of. :the- new com-,; pany and, the. application of the process it.controls, the hitherto, waste products, of the rubber industry .will have •a- value not previously possible of attainment. : It is not wide of the mark to,'attribute it. in financial consideration, to a figure of'from-one and a-half to two million pounds a year, which will be kept in, and be for,; the benefit of New Zienland. ; Further, the saving/to the consumer, ..it' is safe to' say. '■ will' reach a spm equal to that amount. A perusal of the prospectus of New Zealand Rubber Products, Ltd.,. affords particulars'of the tests to which the process has been .-submitted, including one by the Victorian'•' Health Department', and declarations by a leading rubber expert, formerly employed by the Dunlop Rubber Co.,.Ltd., and the Barhett Glass Rubber Co;, while the. hin-hly. commendatory testimony of many of those who have had practical tests of articles treated under the invention, is appended. The inventor and Mr Baxter, when in Wellington a: few'months ago. met several well-known and successful business m,en to whom they granted an, option, to promote a company to acquire the absolute New Zealand rights to the invention, together with a number of secret formula/*, whereby the company, when in operation, would be enabled, to manufacture any class of goods . used •in the motor world, rubber trade generally, and in the. leather trade. The optionees in Wellington were so satisfied with the proposition that they immediately subscribed a few thousand ponds, to cover, the cost of flotation, and to confirm, or otherwise, the statements made by the vendors. They appointed a gentleman of high repute to carry out tests, in the presence .of the inventor, which established the fact that the goods could be easily manufactured at the' prices mentioned bv the vendors. The company deserves the support of all. and we suggest to our readers that thev set into touch, personally, or. by letter, with Mr. Baxter, at the Hamilton Hotel. Dairy farmers in the Dominion who are using milking machines, will now be able to sell their waste rubber to this company secure the very finest quality of new ruber from this company. Applications for parcels of shares from £SO unwards wil be received. The application cost is only 2s 6d; 2s 6d per share on allotment, * and ' the balance in calls, not exceeding Is per share, and at intervals of not, less than one month. ".:"". Mr Baxter assures us that if the company secures but a fifth of the present'available trade, it should make a profit of over one hundred thousand pounds a year. Tf for no other reason than the establishment of a company for the purpose of cheapening the cost of goods in general use, and the iitilis-i-nn -f the. vast quantity of material n<nv wasted, the company deserves solid support. It has the stamp of genuineness, as a reference to tha prospectus will'show that many leading business men in New Zealand are already associf+nd with ; t. The Auckland office of the company for the time b»ir-g, is situated in Hnl--1"-stein's B'-lclings. Oueen street, where "nniications for shares may be made direct.