WASTE SALVAGE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21177, 29 July 1940, Page 5

WASTE SALVAGE

NON-FERROUS METALS ARTICLES TO BE SAVED METHOD OF COLLECTION (By Telegraph.— Special to Times) WELLINGTON. Saturday So complex was the organisation of the Dominion campaign for the salvaging of waste materials, said Mr E. A. Batt. a member of the National Council, to a meeting of the Wellington Metropolitan Committee, that probably another fortnight would elapse before collection plans could be given practical effect. Mr Batt said that non-ferrous metals would become increasingly in shorter supply, with rapidly rising prices, if supplies could be obtained at all. All were essential in war, both for munition manufacture and to maintain civil industry. Copper, he said, was one of the scarcest and most vital. Australia, producing copper herself and importing further supplies from Rhodesia, was still short of requirements. High-grade copper today cost something like £IOO a ton. “Pure tin has risen to an all-time record price, £365 a ton,” said Mr Batt, “Aluminium, the newest of common metaJ.s. is placed as a first essential in war industry. W'ithout adequate supplies for the production of a wide range of alloys, the Empire cannot be maintained. Aluminium cannot be smelted in New Zealand, but will be shipped to Australia, and possibly to England.” Metals That Are Not Wanted “Certain metals are not wanted at •11.” said Mr Batt, “some because they cannot be handled with plant available in New Zealand, others because they cannot be handled—because of transport costs with economy. “ Metals which are not wanted in the meantime are:—Tins (tobacco cigarette, fruit, etc.); steels, wrought Iron; corrugated iron, junk iron generally; car registration plates.” Bottles and glass were not wanted. Already waste merchants throughout New Zealand maintained the necessary collections. Particularly were fine grade papers, as in envelopes, required, and though paper collection would not commence at once, such grades should be saved from now on. Rags of all kinds should be saved, for they had high reclamation value. Collection System Mr Batt explained the plan of collection by the National Council after provincial boards had organised the collection of district contributions at district depots. At Hillside, Eastern Hutt, Auckland, and Dunedin non-ferrous metals would be sorted and graded by experts; district committees need not concern themselves with sorting. Finances were already arranged between the council and the Treasury for transport and other necessary and reasonable costs incurred by the council. “No trade or individual is going to profit by the gift of metals and other wastes and by voluntary service by committees and boards,” said Mr Batt. “The material recovered will be sold to industry at ruling or fixed prices. Costs will be deducted along business lines, and the surplus will be divided among the provinces in proportion to the goods recovered.