WOOL PACKS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 58, 1 December 1937, Page 13

WOOL PACKS

Search ior the Ideal EXPER1MENTS WITH FLAX " Year after year the search for the ideal woolpaek continues. Results up to the present, states Dalgety's Review, have been more or less disappointing, and the ideal pack has not appeared as a commercial proposition for general adoption. Research is proceeding, and the solution may "arrive" at any moment, but the "jute in wool" problem is still with us. Experiments have shown that it is possible to provide a pack which will eliminate the jute fibres, but the cost is prohibitive to its general use. The question of cost would appear to be all important. As matters stand at present, this is defrayed entirely by the woolgrower, and the woolgrowers' organisations have made it abundantly clear that any additional cost of paeks is not likely to be approved by growers generally. All the "improved" packs so far suggested have represented an increased cost to the grower, which he is not prepared to pay. He rather resents having to "give the paeks in," seeing that they cost him anything from 2/6 to 4/- eaeh, according to market quotations. He contends that the use of an improved pack, which would cost considerably more, will not result in a better price for his wool, and it is unlikely that the buyer would pay more for an inferior wool because the. pack was a better class one, or a lower price for a better class wool in an inferior pack. Experiments with Avoollen linings for packs, rubberised packs and paper packs have all been carried out, but it is improbabl© that the solution of the problem lies in any of these directions. The jute pack is still in general use, and, despite its disadfantages, has a.lot to recommend it. Although there has been considerable improvemcnt in the Naw Zealand flax packs in nse lately, Yorkshire reports that the packs are not entirely suitable. The pack is made of phormium tenax, a species of flax frown in the Dominion, and the Government has been co-operat-ing with makeVs in efforts to produce a better class woolpaek. Research is being devoted to improvement in the growth of the flax and its manufactiire. Woolgrowers are required by law to use a proportion of at least one-third of flax packs and are only allowed to import jute packs under licence. The New Zealand Government has been in close touch witk the British Wool Federation, and it is understood that there will be no increase in the proportion of flax packs to be used until the material is fuxther improved.