Bourke Wool Scour

Advertisement in Western Herald 14 July 1939

Some time, possibly in 1939, Ken Moses left Durella near Morven in south west Queensland to work as a wool scourer in Bourke, New South Wales. From an article in the Western Herald we know he was definitely in the town in March of that year, participating in swimming carnivals.

The following articles sourced via Trove provide a description of the Bourke Wool Scour and the experience of the manager of the facility.

Bourke Wool Scour.

UP TO DATE PLANT.

A visit to the Bourke Wool Scour by a representative of this paper was made a short time ago, when the plant was seen in full working order.
 The newly erected large building which houses the machinery is a very substantial one and all the works are under the one roof, which is a decided advantage for the organisation of the industry.
 On the southern end the wool to be scoured enters the building, where it is taken from the bales and automatically fed into the first tank or tub, where huge rakes take it gradually along to the end and it is transferred to the second tub. Here similar process ensues and it empties into the third tub. The fourth tub contains a hot water solution from whence it passes through a large mangle arrangement and is thence taken to the drier.
This drier is a Dyson-Hall machine, which is heated by hot air and the wool being fed on a flat bed moves in a circular direction and comes out perfectly dry.
Thence it is baled, branded and weighed, and ready for dispatch to the railway for transfer to the Sydney market.
The whole of the machinery has been completely overhauled and is stated to be equal to any scour in the State.
Country residents are invited to visit the Scour and see the competent work that is carried out. The advantage to country wool growers in having their wool scoured locally and thereby saving the railway freight is one that should receive earnest consideration. More especially does this apply to low grade or inferior wool, and a trial with this class of wool at the local scour will fully repay clients and we feel sure be the means of them giving a local concern their best co-operation and support.
Mr. M. E. Wring, who is the lessee, very kindly and courteously showed us over the entire plant and fully explained the workings to us. He is a man of experience in this line, having had many years training in leading Botany scours and well able to give the advantages of his knowledge in managing the local works. Undoubtedly the scour is an acquisition to the district and one that the graziers should avail themselves of the advantages of.  
Western Herald 9 July 1937

BOURKE WOOL SCOUR.

By advertisement in this issue, Mr. H. G. Morgan notifies that he has taken over the Bourke Wool Scour, and that wool will receive personal attention, and be scoured on commission basis only. Mr. Morgan for some six years worked for Hayes Bros, and was for a time manager of their Walgett and Goodoega scours. For the past 10 years he has classed the Elsinora clip and has managed the Thurloo Downs scour. It will therefore be seen that Mr. Morgan has had up wards of 39 years experience in wool scouring works and amongst wool, and is therefore competent to give good service to the pastoralists in this district.

Western Herald 13 January 1939