Study Of New Coal Uses Urged

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31772, 31 August 1968, Page 1

Study Of New Coal Uses Urged

It was doubtful whether enough effort was being put into a study of the uses of coal "so that it could again play an important part in the economy, said Mr T. Horne (Nelson City), at a meeting of the executive of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association yesterday.

Coal was being cried down for heat and power as a dirty and unprogressive fuel when, in fact, it had great potentialities, he said.

“One ounce of coal will produce as much electricity as

100 tons of water falling one foot,” he said. “Are we using enough coal for power plants? Coal can compete with nuclear power for electricity. Do we have to have oil?”

After referring to new methods of coal firing, including the use of pulverised coal. Mr Horne said that coal had modern applications in home central heating. Coal was being considered as the basis for a fertiliser industry. and Japan’s industry needed coal. The president (Mr W. H. Martin, of Buller) said that pulverised coal was a very efficient, clean means of heating. “I have been a member of the Coal Composite Committee for a long time, and know : how good coal is and what it ! can be used for.” said Mr O. (Jackson (Greymouth). “The whole thing is the cost of getting it out. The Grey mines produce 17 tons

of coal a miner each day, and that is no good economically. Methods of extraction have not improved. If coal can be extracted at an economic price, we can still use it. “The cost is what has induced Mr Shand and his colleagues to look at other things —because of economics, and politics.” The Mayor of Timaru (Mr D. R. Dowell) said that coal had lost so much ground that he doubted whether it could recover. Two major coal users the gas industry and the railways, were changing fuels. “You can’t have naturally rich deposits.and just let them rot,” said Mr Jackson. The executive decided to write to the New Zealand Coal Mining Districts Research and Welfare Council expressing its concern about the inroads into the uses of coal, and aski ing whether the association 1 could help.