WOOL PACKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 536, 17 June 1909, Page 10

WOOL PACKS.

IMPURITIES AS MERCHANTS SEE THEM. AND REMEDIES*. Tho committeo of tho wool merchants and others which discussed in Messrs. Dalgoty and Co.'s .offices in London recently tlio serious question of fibre impurities in wool gave thoir opinions in detail on tho various expedients that havo been proposed to prevent tlio trouble. They mado tlio following comments :—

"Anujngst tlio remedies for this evil which havo been suggested to tho committee and carefully considered by them are: — ' Tlio use of a superior quality of can- ' vas and sewing string; of wool-lined bags; of cotton and paper linings; of ,dyed bags and'dyed string; of wool.sewing string; of singeing tho canvas bag; of using sized or glazed bagging; of using metal fasteners to closo the lid of the bag; of cross-dyeing tho finished cloth', etc.

"Quite apart from any of these remedies there are ways by which those who handle wool before it reaches its ultimate destination could do something to mitigate the evils. It would bo a great advantage if every bag was carefully turned inside 'out and shaken to remove casual pieces of bagging and string sometimes carelessly left in by tho maker. The bag should then be turned back again. The •greatest care should bo taken in the shearing, classing, and packing sheds, and in the sale warehouses, that no foreign fibres, straw, grass, hemp, etc. should come into contact with tho wool.

, "With regard to a superior quality of jute cloth, much could be done by using tighter spun yarn'to weave into ■ tho bagging, and also by producing ft closor woven cloth. It is quite evident tiliat both these features would tend towards less fraying where the bag is cut, and that there would be less looso fibre on the wool as tho result of tho friction between wool and bag. A lighter cloth so made would ilo doubt stand the same strain of 'handling, and the cost of the bag need not be much more, as tJhe saving of weight would influence the price. The same will apply to tho string used for sewing purposes, which, like the tares, should .bo undyod, as the colour (red or blue) often proves fugitive and stains clean wool.

"Cheap cotton lining to bags has also been suggested and already adopted by some growers. ' 'lifere are dangors connected with this. ,»Vhen it becomes stained with grease it is of the colour of wool, and should any small portion get overlooked it work great harm. Of course, in tho case of wool or cotton lined bags, it becomes possible to use a cheap outside bag. The committee, however, after careful consideration, which has been confirmed by many outside opinions and protests, are compelled to deprecate the use of calico linings. "On the other hand, exhaustive experiments havo been made with paper-lined bags. In the case of ordinary tliin paper, which has been but loosely attached with glue, the experiments have not been satisfactory. Specially prepared packs of a closely woven texture have, however, been produced with a thick corrugated paper lining, and the reports havo been so unanimously favourable from buyers that the- committee have no' hesitation in giving these a high recommendation.

"Singeing the cloth to remove all loose or superfluous fibres" seems to have advantages., "Sizing tho cloth leaves tho impression that it is an expedient whioh lias more appearance than merit about it. In the rough usage of transit, etc., the glazo is apt to bo rubbed off or dissolved. Sizing alone' is ah altogether insufficient remedy, and the committee considers tho suggestion inadequate. "Metal fasteners for closing the mouth of tho bag have been suggested. 'While this is a step in the right direction, it does not get over the, difficulty at issue, and does not materially assist in tho solution of the question, besides introducing an element of danger in the handling. Moreover, they render tho bale nioro easily liable to pilfering during. transit.

"Dyed bags and dyed string have on tho surface something to recommend them if all goods made from wool had ovontually to bo dyed black or dark colours, but as somo of the fault arises from tho rubbing of the woo] in tho bagging, and as these single fibres could not bo pickcd off, it follows that dyed fibres going forward into light-coloured goods would bo a much greater danger than light hairs in dark goods, and tho. committee considers the suggestion quito impracticable. Coloured stripes on tho bales aro also'considered objectionable.

"It is of courso well known that vegetable fibres will not dyo with wool, and the question of cross-dyeing, i.e., once for vegetable and onco of animal fibres, is. also impracticable.

"Many tares, including cotton-lined, paperlined, singed bags, and tares of improved quality, liavo come under the notice of- buyers, and already there has been . a marked improvement in tho packing of many of the best clips. Tho interest of buyers has also been stimulated, and it will bo advantageous to sellers who' use approved tares to have tho fact stated in tho catalogues. "The committ-co desires to urge that all growers-will continue to assist in tho efforts t.o obtain so very desirable an end. The.v ■would, however, omphasiso once and for ail tho fact that cotton linings constitute an equally serious element of danger; in fact the cotton threads aro liable to frav, and are even more. difficult to eliminate tlian pieces of jute string., "Tho various efforts made with paparlined packs, as previously stated, have proved eminently satisfactory. The essential features are that tho canvas should bo sufficiently strong and not too thin; that the paper should bo of the thjck and, corrugated type which does not fracture; and that tho paper bo thoroughly attached to tho pack. Packs of this character, which liavo already been under tho notice of tho committee,. afo such as can be thoroughly recommended, and tho extra cost of sucfh a paper lining is estimated not to exceod 9d. per bale."