MUD FOR FACE POWDER

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3675, 9 August 1927, Page 4

MUD FOR FACE POWDER

ROTORUA DEPOSITS. NOT SUFFICIENT FOR COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION. Auckland, August 5. Feminine London, so the cables say, is intrigued with new face powder manufactured from Rotorua mud, and one firm which expected a shipment of several tons to last two years, sold it in three months. Notwithstanding this, Mr. A. J. Parker, former Government Analyst in Auckland, who had made a thorough study of Rotorua mud, does not see any commercial possibilities in the project. The new powder, which is described as taking the tone of any complextion, is having a great vogue among the Empire products at London stores. There is so much to be found at Rotorua, and especially at Taupo, in the way of muds, says Mr. Parker, yfct the deposits are so small and scattered that he does not believe them capable of commercial exploitations. Talcum, which is the basis of all face powders, and refractory clay, he said, was to be found in patches in that district, with other crude products. Talcum was also found in America and other countries in much larger quantities and considerably nearer the world markets.

“I am convinced that the Rotorua and Taupo qualities are so small that it would be impossible to njake anything out of them,” he added. Marvellous clays, coloured and otherwise, were to be found, •and the analyst declared he could [point to probably 1000 different crude products, all of interest to science, yet they were not there in sufficient quantities to demand commercial attention.