VEGETABLE FIBRE IN WOOL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 26 April 1913, Page 8

VEGETABLE FIBRE IN WOOL.

\ COMMITTEE'S FULL REPORT. ' The committee appointed to deal with the question of vegetable fibre in wool have issued the following report:— "Tho committeo ' have pleasure in reporting some progress in their efforts this year to provide a cheaper pack than those previously recommended. "An exhibition of new wool packs was held in London at Msesrs. Browne am) Eagle's warehouse during tho July sales. All important makers were, invited to send exhibits. Unfortunately, most of these, new packs,' although showing'great merit : aiul considerable improvement, did iiot come within the Tango of the committee's reqhirements- owing to tlieir liigh ■ . It has been, strongly urged on the. committeo by growers that the incfeased cost.of uio jireviously-recommcnd-cd;packs was prohibitive unless the buyer w6uld;share. Consequently, recent efforts have' necessarily. been confined almost entirely to the search for better value. The demand 1 from all quarters for guidance and for definito recommendation has also beeni so strong that the committee have been compelled, with much reluctance on I their part, tentatively to recommend some packs which-will come in at,/ or near, the basis of the present Calcutta wool pack. "The committee desire definitely to em'phasise the fact that they still hold to their, previous recommendation- of the paper-lined pack on the lines of the /Proiona/ produced by Messrs. W. Kifchio and Son, London, and .believe that growers of -th'e choicest wools will "gladly use this class of pack,' which is nowl obtainable at about 9d. above the of the old Calcutta, jute bag.' . ""Of the new packs which' were exhibited, the committeo.. consider, -that the 'Lobonito' paper-lined, made by. Messrs. Law and Bonar, of Dundee, which will only cost 4d. per pack above the ordinary Calcutta bags, is also worthy of trial. The paper lining is affixed to the bag by pitch, which has - macte the committee somewhat nervous of giving their full recommendation, ,but in the i tests, which haye:,been carefully and severely made, tliere .'appears to be little or no detriment to the |wool. Tho real test, however, will be the shipments from the colonies to the European factories. _ Therefore, the ' experience will have to decide the ultimate recommendation of this class of wool pack. ■ • ■: "The committee .are very Regretful that several experiments on which they, hail based high hopes have not yet proved themselves sufficiently satisfactory .to .be re commcnded. An anti-fibrous' pack, '-which, lias been, made in Australia, seems 1 'ta-'by'ttn-'effort the ' opinion''is hold that the superficial treat-, nient will probably liavo to be superseded by treatment of-the jute, in the yarn, rather than in the cloth. ! "Fortunately the manufacturers of wool packs are assisting the • committeo very materially, in their efforts, and the research .which. is being mado on all s'des gives some confidence that this difficult question is within reach solution. _ "The committee have neen much impressed by the remarkably useful and attractive samples which have been placed before-tliem of paper twine, and hope that some of the more enterprising growers will make a trial of this twine,, so that it may be thoroughly tested in tho shipments which are made to Europe. .. "A large quantity of photographs, showing the damage done to fine' wool fabrics by jute fibre, have been distributed to tho various wool-growing centres, and'further supplies can be obtained on "'application to the president or secretary of tho committee. ; J ; . "It. is hoped that tho pastorahsts and viribug wool associations in the colonies ' will co-operate. with tho international committeo by forming a colonial • committee to investigate this question and help to solve the problem. ■