WASTE RECLAMATION

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21137, 12 June 1940, Page 4

WASTE RECLAMATION

DISTRICT COMMITTEES PLAN TO OPERATE SOON ARTICLES FOR MUNITIONS (By Telegrapn. —Press Association) WELLINGTON, Tuesday The Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, made a further appeal to the people to-night to reduce waste to the absolute minimum. The Minister said that since his appeal last week he had had many offers of assistance for the conservation and salvage of waste materials—bottles, glass, metal, rags and offcuts of various kinds. Mr Sullivan said he had had a committee of business men working on a scheme to organise the collection of waste material and its subsequent utilisation. He had hoped to make an announcement of the details of the scheme, but the committee had not yet been able to complete its organisation. The scheme, however, would be functioning actively at a very early date. It provided for the establishment of representative district committees, which would undertake the direction of the activity and would comb the Dominion for useful waste, which would be collected from central depots. Tyres and Oil

Mr Sullivan spoke of the waste in New Zealand of worn motor tyres and used engine oil, which was usually thrown away. Plants to reclaim used oil were operating in the Dominion, but not to anything like their full capacity. Mr Sullivan mentioned the part that waste utilisation could play in the maintenance of adequate supplies of munitions and equipment. The value of the old aluminium saucepan came into this, even the fourpint one. It would provide the aluminium required for the timing and fuse mechanism for three shells of the French 75 gun, for one and ahalf 181 b shells for English field artillery, or for three and a-half 3in anti-aircraft shells. Brass, copper and cotton waste were also required for munitions manufacture.

The possibility of an extension of the manufacture of certain kinds of munitions in the Dominion was at present being explored with success, continued the Minister. He hoped that the Dominion in this way would be able to make an additional contribution to its war effort.

Mr Sullivan said his appeals for women and girl machinists of experience to return to woollen mills and clothing and footwear factories had met with splendid response. Many more, however, were required.