USE OF SISAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 600, 3 August 1933, Page 7

USE OF SISAL

MAY HAVE IMPORTANT EFFECT ON N.Z. HEMP. INFORMAT1 VE REPORT. The imports of New Zealand hemp into the United Kingdom showed a considerable increase in 1932 over those for the previous year. In fact, the growing importance of sisal and hemp to the Empire has led Dr. S. G. Barker, direetor of the Wool Industries Research Association, to codify the present knowledge of the character and properties of the fibre in a report, which has just been published. He points out that since 1927, although there has been a decrease in world production and export, espeeially in I Mexico and the Philippines, there has been a noticeable increase in the amount produced within the British Empire and in the other important producing area, Dutch East Indies. British East Africa alone is responsible for nearly one-third of the world supply, producing and exporting over 72,000 tons. in 1931, against a world total of 230,000 tons. Of the £isal imported into the United Kingdom by far the largest proportion is produced in East Africa. It is interesting to note that the imports in 1932 were more than double those of 1931, whilst the quantity of manila coming from the Philippines fell to just over half. This fall« in manila was' due, however, more to a lessening of the requirements of the shipping industry than to a partial replacement of manila in certain cords, etc., by sisal. Desirable Qualities. After examining the varying species of sisal, their method of reproduction, and the harvesting (which begins in the fourth and fifth year of. growth), the report analyses the fibre content of the leaf before proceeding to examine its form and ennumerate its most desirable quaiities. These appear best in the sisal grown in Java and East Africa, which generally gives a fibre whiter, longer, and thicker than that grown elsewhere. Apart from local uses for snch purposes as hammocks, hats, hraid, sacking, the uniformity of length, quality, and appearance with which the fibre can be marketed make it eminently suitable for the production of binder twine, cords, and fine yams. But the rapid replacement of the binding machine by the eomhine "harvester-thrasher" foreshadows a narrowing marlcet for the twine, emphasising the necessity of extending its uses for commercial purposes.

Tests and Trials. Tests and trials have been carried out at the Imperial Institute and by the Admiralty to prove the suitability of sisal for marine c'ordage. The results have been generally favourable and have warranted the partial adoption of sisal by the Royal Navy. The defects which have been noted are eonsidered -remediable by scientific investigation and research. There is also need or inquiry into the utilisation of wastage, which is considerable, only 3. per cent. of the ieaf being used in fibre production. Tlie remainder can be used as pulp for paper, or the juice — fermented — for the production of alcohol, but the economic advantage of these uses has yet to be proved. The ma jor problem that presents itself for solution is, as in other Spheres, the discrepancy between production and consumption. The thought and research that have been applied to the eultivation of this plaht must now he devoted t'o utilisation. i)r. Barker has -endeavoured to show the paucity of real scientific knowledge of the attrihutes and eharacteristics of the sisal fibre. He believes that research which will' reveal further details will be of henefit not only in the development of a sisal industry, but also in that of other fibres with which the tropical