WASTE RUBBER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1942, Page 4

WASTE RUBBER

RECOVERY DRIVE IN BRITAIN. NATION-WIDE CAMPAIGN. ■ (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, April 15. Because of the position in the Far East, the main sources of Britain’s rubber supplies are now in the hands of the enemy. To meet the emergency the Ministry of Supply has announced a nation-wide campaign for the recovery of all waste rubber. An urgent appeal is being made to every household to put out all rubber for collection by the local authorities. AH other concerns, such as garages, cycling, golf and other similar clubs, are also urged to hand over what they can. Modern war, it is emphasised, calls for huge supplies of rubber, and thousands more tons of it are needed now.

At the same time, details of the effect of the rubber shortage in Germany and occupied European countries were given by the spokesman of the Ministry of Economic Warfare. He said: “News has come from Holland of a tyre made of cork. In Denmark cycle tyres of paper, which last about a month, have been invented, and in Budapest an attempt is being made to run motor-buses on rails by fitting wooden wheels.”

A Detroit message states that engineers of the Ford Company have developed a new tyre composed chiefly of a special fabric requiring only onesixte'enth of the rubber normally used. Though the experiments are still in the preliminary stage, a company spokesman said that tests had proved the tyre durable and capable of long wear.