Experiments in Queensland
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
Papuan Smoked Rubber
From Our Own Correspondent.
PT. MORESBY, August 17.
SOME months ago, as a result of nego tiations between the Director of Agri culture (Hon. A. P. Lyons) and the Com missioner for Main Roads in Queensland (Mr. J. R. Kemp), about a quarter of a ton of smoked sheet rubber was forwarded by the Papuan Government free of charge to the Queensland Main Roads Commis sion for the purpose of making experi ments in the use of rubber for road making.
The Commissioner had previously made experiments in the use of rubber for roads. The experiments had been carried out with old rubber tyres, but until now no experiments had been made with crude rubber.
Experiments with rubber surfaced roads have been made in Singapore with planta tion latex, while in England vulcanised blocks were tried, but so far no experi ments using smoked sheets have been instituted. Laboratory tests are now being made by the Commissioner in an endeavour to find some satisfactory pro cess for its application to road making.
Should the experiments prove a suc cess the market in Australia for Papuan rubber would be greatly enlarged.