WASTE MATERIAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1941, Page 4

WASTE MATERIAL

NATIONAL COUNCIL’S WORK COLLECTION OF PAPER. DRIVE IN MASTERTON PROPOSED. Mr J. M. A. Hott, member of the National Council for the Reclamation of Waste, Wellington, visited Masterton yesterday afternoon to meet the district committee to discuss matters in connection with the establishment of a drive for the collection of waste paper. Mr Hott gave an account of the council’s stewardship since its inception and suggesied ways of launching the local appeal. Arising out of the meeting arrangements are being made for the Rotary Club to conduct the appeal in Masterton, and storage will be available at the Gasworks prior to railage of the paper to Wellington. "I wish to thank you all for your services since the inauguration of the scheme. Masterton is held up as an example to other towns,’’ said Mr Hott. In the few months of its existence the National Council for the Reclamation of Waste, he said, had raised £5,041. The important thing for all to realise was that for every aluminium saucepan or brass ornament given by the housewife every penny of the money received from the sale of such articles was paid into the patriotic fund. All expenses such as office rent, administration, freights-, the substantial sorting costs, and classification by expert metallurgists were borne by private individuals. The help received from the Government and the large private donations given were most gratifying. Mr Hott explained that under recent regulations the National Council was’ the sole authority for the collection of waste material for patriotic funds. No collection for patriotic funds could be done without the permission of the Council, through the local committee. It was a point to be remembered. The regulations did not interfere with industry. Commercial collectors could carry on as usual. Mr Hott congratulated the local committee upon having raised £52 13s 3d from the sale of waste material. It was a most satisfactory effort. He emphasised that although there was still a need for non-ferrous metals such as zinc, brass, copper, lead, etc., he did not consider it essential, at present, for an extended drive for these metals. He referred to the exhibition by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, which had been visited by between 50,000 and 60,000 people. There was a demand from all over New Zealand to have exhibitions held locally. He suggested that endeavours should be made to have it shown in Masterton. “We want all kinds of .paper suitable for pulping, apart from grease-proof, waxed, greasy, celophane, glassine or tarred paper,’’ said Mr Hott, referring to the proposed collection of waste paper. “Old newspapers, catalogues, old letters, cardboard, old telephone books, price lists, office books and papers.” It was proposed to send 10,000 tons to Australia and 3,000 to 4,000 tons to Whakatane and Mataura. The Government had granted special rates for transport. The papei’ could be baled, put in sacks and compressed. It would be sorted in Wellington, with the exception of office papers, marked confidential on the package, which would go direct to Australia. For every ton sent away the local patriotic fund would benefit by at least £2. papers, provided they were not greasy, were most suitable. In Wellington the schoolchildren had done valuable work by collecting papers from a round in small quantities. Half a ton per fortnight was collected by that means. Mr Hott suggested that business houses should bundle up their used envelopes. His. house bundled up about nine full sacks or about Ijcwt. a week.

In reply to a question Mr Hott stated that cast iron was useless unless it could be used for local industry. There was no market for it at present. However, as the war situation could change overnight it might be required in the future. Commenting on the recent bottle drive in Wellington he said that over 5,000,000 bottles had been collected. Mr Hott commended the work of the headmasters’ association, the school children and the theatre managers for sponsoring the collection. It had been an outstanding achievement. LOCAL COLLECTION ARRANGEMENTS IN MASTERTON. Reference to the collection of waste paper in Masterton was made by the Town Clerk, Mr G. T. O'Hara Smith, this morning. “The collection of waste paper for patriotic purposes is now desired and the co-operation of the public is sought in its collection,” he states. “Any paper or cardboard except tarred, greasy paper such as butter paper or cellophane is wanted. The margin of profit is so small that it does not permit of the employment of labour for collection, sorting and packing. To obviate cartage a depot has been arranged for at the Gasworks close to the railway siding. To make this a really worth while war effort donors of paper are requested to sort the paper, fold it and tie it into compact parcels ready for baling and deliver it at the depot. We would be pleased to receive a gift of a few clean sacks in which to bundles of paper to will be emptied and returned to Masterton. Cartons and cardboard boxes can be flattened and tied up in- tight bundles. Old envelopes of the transparent type should have the glass paper removed. Old books should also be tied in bundles. Waste paper is to be forwarded in 2-ton lots to Wellington and every £1 raised in this way goes directly to patriotic purposes, so make this your war effort”