Coal Is New Zealand’s Major Low-Cost Fuel

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31657, 18 April 1968, Page 16

Coal Is New Zealand’s Major Low-Cost Fuel

It is estimated that most New Zealand homes require heating five hours a day, for 100 days a year. Homes in southern districts or high inland areas could require longer heating. In considering the cost of such long-term heating the householder must choose an economical fuel that cannot be affected by shipping strikes or an unsettled political situation overseas. New Zealand coal answers the needs of most householders be-

cause it is the country’s major low-cost fuel for domestic use and supplies are always certain.

Imported fuel and power costs have been increasing over the last two years but coal prices have remained fairly stable, apart from some slight resulting increases from rising freight charges. Coal is New Zealand’s traditional domestic fuel and it continues to win favour because New Zealand manufacturers

have developed extremely efficient coalburning domestic appliances that provide greater heat, slower burning and complete safety. New Zealand Coals Unique New Zealand coals have unique qualities and appliances must be specially designed to make the best possible use of coal’s free-burn-ing, long-flame characteristics. South Island manufacturers are at present adapting a Continental space-heater to New Zealand coals and shortly they promise to put on the market heaters that bum their own smoke that have flames which can be turned up and down as readily as a gas fire; that are thermostatically controlled and require very little stoking. This new advance in domestic heating is a logical step from the excellent enclosed spaceheaters already on sale in New Zealand stores, which also bum their own smoke and provide greater heat at a slow rate of combustion.

Central Heating

New Zealand home owners have a wide variety of space heaters from which to choose and many of these not only warm a room efficiently by the convection of warm air currents but they may also heat water in a tank at the back of the fire for pumping into radiators in other rooms of the house. In addition the space-heater may as easily provide domestic hot water as well as this central heating system. As coal is an economical fuel, heating experts recommend that many homes should have a space-heater with a

back boiler to feed hot water radiators in other rooms of the house and a coal-burning boiler in the kitchen to provide the household with all domestic hot water it needs. With two boilers the larger family can then have more radiators through the house and, at the same time, a good supply of hot water from the kitchen boiler. Domestic boilers are very useful appliances because they keep the kitchen warm, dry out airing cupboards and provide a useful fire in which to burn kitchen scraps along with the coal. Boilers available on the market today are as neat as refrigerators, and most have thermostatic control. Most householders still associate coal with the open fire which is always so cheerful and welcoming. But the traditional fireplace has also undergone dramatic changes. Today open fires are designed to give off radiant and converted heat. Instead of hot air disappearing up the chimney the modern open fire deflects this hot air out into the room. Currents of warm air reach farthest corners while members of the family sit in front of the burning coals toasting themselves before the radiant heat of the open fire. Today’s modern coal-burning appliances are easy to clean, easy to manage, and require very little attention.