NATIONAL WASTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1917, Page 3

NATIONAL WASTE.

To the Editor. Sir,—A few davs ago a ,par in your fiaper drew attention to the necessity of farmers. etc., being careful in regard to sacks. There are many things in which a great saving could lie effected, and by doing so give effect to the axiom; "Take care of the. pence, etc." It has often struck me as being simply wicked the .waste, that is perpetrated in the Dominion in regard to receptacles used for selling many articles of household Use; that no attempt has been made hv the packers or manufacturers in regard to economising these things now-a-days is surprising, and I trust that, though n voice in the wilderness, some attention will be given the matter Now, Sir, from the grocer we get articles in both bottle ami tin packages that could easily be returned wh. n empty, anil if surely needs but a little llioiit;l■ i on the part of the merchant to see that a working and payable scheme could be initiated whereby such is done. Wc attempt to inculcate in the young the axiom mentioned above but by our careless methods in the .past wc show little example as to doing if ourselves. When a tin of biscuits is sold so much is allowed on the return of the tin. Why isn't the same method applied to tea. coffee, matches, polishes, etc.? I remember, not so many years ago seeing in print, what had been done in the cities of Australia in regard to used tins, ami it was pointed out that in each place agencies were established for gathering such, when they were compressed hv machinery into huge blocks, shipped, to Germany, and there treated by a process of electricity to remove the tin. while the residue was melted down. A great, deal of the stuff also went to the toy makers. Where has our nation been in such matters? One hears a lot about economic warfare in the near future, and I venture to predict that any nation that can carry organisation. to the extent our enemy has done in the, matter mentioned will prove a tough proposition, and we should carefully look around for a method where the waste pointed out might he reduced to a minimum. Trusting that prominent, notice will be given the question.—l am, etc., JOE. B. SIMPSON. Durham Road, November 4, 1917,