ONEKAKA IRON PROJECT

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26441, 7 June 1951, Page 6

ONEKAKA IRON PROJECT

REOPENING UNDER CONSIDERATION „ ■ EMERGENCY MEASURE “Th# Pteu , • Special Service _ , NELSON. June t To provide supplies of iron, par“cularly pig iron, the Governmentll considering the reopening of th* Onekaka project on a limited scab “J!. 1 } emer Kency measure. This information is contained in • letter from Mr E. R. Neale, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to th* Minister of Industries and Commetc*, to th# Nelson, Marlborough and We*t Coast League of Local Bodies. The league recently asked th* Government to give private entefr prise an opportunity to work th* Onekaka project. Mr Neale’s letter says that suppll« of iron, particularly pig iron, al* cau ®i n M concern. Discuwions are pnP ceeding with interested person# wh* have the necessary technical am financial facilities to work Onekakl a « an emergency measure. Considerable expenditure would M involved in bringing the plant ft working condition, and this aspect 9 being investigated. f Mr Neale says no official report Ob smelting tests of the ironsands 3L Onekaka has been published. B*» cause of the shortage of electrieiMJi the development of the ironsands ® ~ electric smelting will not be possiMl for a considerable time.