WOOL PACKS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2548, 8 July 1909, Page 2

WOOL PACKS

IMPURITIES AS MERCHANTS SEE THEM. SUGGESTED REMEDIES. , The committee of the wool merchants and others which discussed in Messrs Dalgety and Co.’s offices in London recently the serious question of fibre impurities in wool gave, their opinions in detail on the various expedients that have been proposed to prevent the trouble. They made the following comments : “Amongst the remedies for this evil which have been suggested to' the committee and carefully considered- by them are.:

The use of -a superior quality of canvas and sewing string; of woollined bags; of cotton and paper linings; of dyed bags and dyed string; of wool sewing string; of singeing'the canvas bag; of using sized or glazed bagging; of using metal fasteners to close the lid of the bag; of cross-dye-

ing-the finished cloth, etc. “Quite apart from any of these remedies there are ways by which those who handle wool before it reaches its ultimate destination could do something to mitigate the evils. It would be a”great advantage if every bag was carefully turned inside out and shaken to remove casual pieces of bagging and string sometimes carelessly left in by the maker. The bag [should then bo turned back again. The greatest care should be taken in the shearing, classing, and packing sheds, and in the sale warehouses, that no foreign fibres, straw, grass, hemp, etc. should come into contact with the wool.

“With regard to a superior quality of jute cloth, much could be done by using tighter spun yarn, to weave into the bagging, and also by producing a closer woven cloth. It is quite evident that both these features would tend towards less fraying where the hag is cut, and that .there would be' less loose fibre on the wool as the result of the friction between wool and bag. A lighter cloth so made would no doubt stand the same strain of handling, and the cost of the bag need not b 8 much more, as the saving of weight would influence the price. The same will apply to the string used for sewing purposes, which, like the tares, should bo undyed, as the colo r (red or blue) often proves fugitive and stains clean wool.

“Cheap cotton lining to bags has also been suggested and already adopted by some growers. There are dangers connected with this. When it becomes stained with grease it is of the color of wool, and should any small portion get overlooked it might work great harm. Of course, in the case of wool or cotton lined bags, it becomes possible to use a cheap outside bag. The committee, however, after careful consideration, which has been confirmed by many outside opinions and protests, are compelled to deprecate the use of calico linings. “On the other hand, exhaustive experiments have been made with paperlined bags. In the case of ordinary thin paper, which has been hut loosely attached with glue, the experiments have not been satisfactory. Specially prepared packs of a closely woven texture have, however, been produced with a thick corrugated paper lining, and the reports have been so unanimously favorable from buyers that the committee have no hesitation in giving these a high recommendation. “Singeing the cloth to remove all loose or superfluous fibres seems to have advantages. “Sizing the cloth leaves the impression that it is an expedient which has more appearance "than merit about it. In the rough usage of transit, etc., the glaze is apt to bo rubbed off or dissolved. Sizing alone is an altogether insufficient remedy, and the committee considers the suggestion inadequate. “Metal fasteners for closing the mouth of the bag have been suggested. While this is a step in the right direction, it does not get over the difficulty at issue, and does not materially assist in the solution of the question, besides introducing an element of danger in the handling. Moreover, they render the bale more easily liable to pilfering during transit. “Dyed bags and dyed string have on the surface something to recommend them if all goods made from wool had eventually to be dyed black or dark colors, but- as some of the fault arises from the rubbing of the wool in the bagging, and as these single fibres could not be picked off, it follows that dyed fibre's going forward into lightcolored goods would he a much greater danger than light hairs in dark goods, and the committee considers the suggestion quite impracticable. Colored stripes on the bales are also considered 'objectionable. “It is of course well known that vegetable fibres will not dye with wool, am/TTCI om fibr C PM imp.,. not.i/rfnbf tjuyeio, _. v mwu jiuo be Mi a marked improvement in packing of many of the best clips. The interest of buyers has also been stimulated, and it will be advantageous to sellers who use approved tares to have the fact stated in the catalogues. “The committee desires to urge, that all growers will continue to' assist in the. efforts to obtain so very. desirable an end. They would, however, emphasise once and for all the fact that cotton linings constitute an equally serious element of danger; in fact, the cotton threads are liable to fray, and are even more difficult to eliminate than pieces of jute string. “The various efforts made with paoer lined packs, as previously stated, have proved eminently satisfactory. The essential features are that the canvas should be sufficiently strong and not too thin; that the paper should be of-the thick and corrugated type., which does not fracture; and that the paper bo thoroughly attached to the pack. Packs of this' character, which have already been under the notice of the. committee, are such as can be thoroughly recommended, and the extra cost of such a paper lining is estimated not to exceed 9d per bale.”