Gums, Resins, 



362 



[Nov. 1906. 



Mr. Devitt:— It is not in many cases it is packed in these thin wood boxes, 

 but we have known cases and we do not want planters to go on using them. 

 Mr. Ryan : — Can you suggest any improvements ? 



Mr. Devitt : -I think yours is a very good idea for binding them round with 

 canvas, but I think they would have to be repacked in London at the planters' 

 expense. 



Mr. Ryan :— Quite so. I can easily improve on that ; but the point is 

 whether your difficulty was that it was difficult to re-open and difficult to repack 

 these packages because that can be got over by a different method of tying and 

 pleating. Do you recommend the addition of some disinfectant to the outer surface, 

 such as formalin ? Would that be an objection to the trade ? * 



Mr. Devitt :— I think it would. 



Mr. Ryan :— Would they be able to detect formalin, if applied externally 

 to the package ? 



Mr. Devitt :.— I think so. 



Mr. Ryan :— Then you have spoken of paper and warned us against its use. 

 You spoke of plain paper ? Have you had any experience of waxed paper ? 



Mr. Devitt :— I only saw it in the Exhibition, and it seemed very satisfactory. 

 Mr. Ryan :— How about the ventilation of the case? 



Mr. Devitt :— It will get quite enough, I think. There is no need to make 

 special ventilation. 



PACKING IN SACKING. 



Mr. Ryan: — Mr Brett complained that any form of pressure applied to the 

 rubber in the form of sacking seemed to have a deteriorating effect on the rubber. 



Mr. Devitt :— We get rubber from other parts of the world in bales, and 

 when it is being cut it has to be cut right through the sacking, which has become 

 attached to it ; and the sample is sent up in that way. 



Mr. Ryan :— It seems to me it is perfectly evident you must have some 

 simple substance to put in between the packing and the rubber. How would thin 

 strips of veneer do ? 



Mr. Devitt :— I think that would get over the difficulty. 



Mr. Ryan : — My object is to try and elicit from you some idea as to what you 

 would suggest would be the very best method of packing. We are not going to 

 spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar, but at the same time we have a natural 

 desire to economise. Proceeding he said, they would like to get information on 

 this point by experiments. He would like Mr. Devitt to take home some rubber 

 packed in various ways and report to him, and those individuals that would be 

 associated with him, on the way it arrived in London, He would like to send it 

 home by a way that it would reach home after Mr. Devitt had arrived himself, 

 if necessary sending it round Cape Horn. He would like to have it knocked about 

 a good deal, so that when they got Mr. Devitt's report they might know whether 

 they were not groping in darkness or walking in the light. (Laughter, and 

 Hear, hear.) 



Mr. Devitt :— I cannot tell you how your packing will answer until I see 

 it arrive in London. The blocks we received so far were in beautiful condition. 

 These were packed in a strong case. They were stuck together, but there was no 

 actual tackiness. We took them from each other with a crowbar ; they were quite 

 satisfactory. The case was ot half-inch wood. 



Dr. Willis said that with regard to the packing of block rubber with 

 sacking round it, he saw some planters on the previous day examining the package 

 Mr Ryan had prepared in the show. One planter held it up and let it drop, and 



