SYNTHETIC WOOL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1938, Page 3

SYNTHETIC WOOL

THREAT TO NATURAL PRODUCT. FEARS EXPRESSED BY GROWERS. Australian woolgrowers and others interested in this nationally-vital industry have, in the main, been spectical hitherto about the effect of the artificial fibre on the natural product. It is significant, therefore, that recently spokesmen for the industry have expressed fears about the effect of fibre competition. The vogue now is to plea for co-operation to meet the challenge of synthetic wool.

One who is convinced of the threat to Australia of the German “Wolstra” is Mr A. E. Heath, reecntly retired Agent-general in London for New South Wales. In urging an agreement with Germany whereby that country would take a given value of wool from Australia each year, Mr Heath said that, in four years, experiments had made it possible for Germany to produce 400 tons of synthetic fibre a day, and the factories were being duplicated. One factory alone outside Leipzig was pouring out 85 tons every 24 hours. The product could be crimped and dyed, and was waterproof. “There is no need to be over-alarmed,” he added, “but aren’t we going to take a long vision of it? We know what happened with synthetic indigo and I have seen nitrates made out of German air and shipped to China. I have never heard a German say the substitute was as good as wool, but what they can say is: ‘lf we can’t have wine, we can have German beer, and if we can’t have wool because of the lack of exchange, we can have something which will carry us through.’ I have material made of 50 per cent wood and 50 per cent wool. Out of 60 graziers, only 10 could pick that it was not natural wool.” The Federal Government’s view was expressed by the A.cting Minister for Commerce (Mr Alexander Cameron), who said that what was urgently needed was better trading conditions in the world. “I would sooner we explored this field than challenge the knowledge of the scientists who are endeavouring to find a substitute for wool,” he added. “Only a fool could disregard the challenge of synthetic fibre,” said Mr E. I. Body, president of the New South Wales Sheep Breeders’ Association.