FOR CANCER.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 7

FOR CANCER.

AUSTRALIA'S RADIUM

Development Not Commercial

Proposition.

EXPERT'S VIEW.

(Australian and N.Z. Press Association.)

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

LONDON, January 22.

General references in the British Press to the prospects of developing Australia's radium fields are quoting Lord Knutsford, who asks if the Government cannot explore this source of reducing the price of radium to needy institutions. The "Star" in an editorial asks why the Governments should not encourage radium discovery in the interest of suffering humanity.

The Australian Press Association interviewed a high research official, cognisant with Imperial possibilities, who said that he would like to give an affirmative answer to the query concerning Australia, but expert knowledge demands an emphatic negative. The Australian mines at Mount Otaray and at Painter were discovered a year before the Congo deposits. Experts examined the Australian samples and reported favourably, but were doubtful concerning the commercial possibilities.

The official added that at present he does not know anywhere in the Empire where radium is producible commercially. Some specimens are good but it needs more than specimens to make mines.

It is ascertained that Australian sellers are endeavouring, without result, to sell to those who were at some time interested. These consider this publicity unfortunate.