RUBBER INDUSTRY IN SAMOA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3631, 28 April 1927, Page 4

RUBBER INDUSTRY IN SAMOA.

SAMPLE SENT TO SCHOOL

MUSEUM,

Mr. T. Hutton, of Samoa, has forwarded a sample of rubber (per Mr. Walter Edwards) to the Foxton District High School museum. In a covering letter, Mr. Hutton writes interestingly of the industry. He says: “the sample forwarded is similar to that exported to England and America from Samoa and is equal to the best smoked sheet manufactured anywhere else.” He stated “that the trees are tapped by coolies by cutting a groove in tho bark. Only one quarter of the bowl of the tree is cut, so that with the four quarters used, four years elapses for the renewal of the bark, but if the tapping is carefully done, nine years elapses before the bark is again cut. The coolie strips the dried latex or sap from the previous day’s cut, cleans the channel out with his knife and places a cup, usually half a clean cocoanut shell under the spout and goes on to the next tree. From 250 to 300 trees is topped by each man, who then goes back and collects all the latex frpm the cups. It is then taken to the factory and carefully strained through wire gauze, having over 2,000 meshes to the square inch. It is then mixed with water and acetic acid in varying quantities according to the water content by hydrometer test. The latex is then placed in measured quantities into pans and carried to prevent dust or foreign matter getting in.' The acid causes the liquid to coagulate. Twenty-four hours after it has been in the coagulate pans it is removed and worked up by hand into lumps. These are then passed through various rollers, finally going through the diamond crimped rollers which leave the mark as shown on the sample sheet. This is done to get the sheets of an even size and thickness also to give a greater drying surface. The sheets are then hung to dry for another 24 hours, and are then placed in the smoke house where they stay for 8 to 10 days when they are ready for export. The coagulated latex is passed through The rollers in order to drive out all the water content and leave only the pure latex. The temperature of the smoke house must never rise above 150 degrees otherwise the sheet becomes full of bubbles. The best drying we find here comes from an 120 degrees temperature and 10 days drying. The quantity is gauged by the appearance it makes when held to the light. No dark, or opaque surfaces must appear and it must be absolutely free from any foreign substance. This rubber rarely goes into the manufacture of motor tyres. It is too good for such purposes, but it is used in high-class surgical and dental appliances, pipe stems, first-class electrical fittings, etc. This rubber is bringing about Is B:]d to Is 9d per lb. on the London market, and is produced in Apia into shed ready for export for from to 9d per lb. The cases cost 5s 3d each, and contain from 200 to 210 lbs. each. There is an export duty on rubber of Id per lb. So even with that, a planter with decent trees is on velvet, for he gets a profit of from 7d to 9d per lb., which really pays better than cocoa or copra.”