AN ERA OF NEW UTILITIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3036, 24 March 1917, Page 10

AN ERA OF NEW UTILITIES

FOR NEW ZEALAND AFTER THE WAR WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE DOING (By Dr. 'Alfred K. Newman, M.P.) .During my recent trip to England, via Canada, and back through tho United States, I picked up several bits of knowledge which seemed to mo of use for New Zealand. This war, which has killed so many of the flower of our New Zealand manhood, and has permanently crippled many more, and has loaded the country with a colossal unreproditctjve debt, will force us to use our brains, to learn what is -useful in other countries, and to make the same gigantic efforts .that Great Britain will make to hold our own in the coming trade war after tho war. Oil-Engined Sailing Ships. Plying in and out of Auckland for years past have been many small sailing vessels, fitted up with oil engines for use in calms or very light airs. On the Pacific Coast of tho United States there aro being built very - many big sailing ships carrying large cargoes— many thousand tons each. The big freight-carriers are fitted up with oil engines. Many| havo mads long voyages with great .success, and the cost of carrying freight by them is much lower than by ordinary tramp Bteamers. The oil occupies small space, and the' engines are more compact, so there is more space for cargo. Small scows fitted with oil engines have long been plying in and out of Auckland Harbour. Tho new'TJ.S. ships aro of great size, and great freight-carriers. It is confidently asserted that they aro such a great success, can be run so cheaply, that they will run off the ordinary, coal steamer, and that this great ocean trade of the world will be carried in these vessels. New Zealand is for over handicapped by long'and costly sea freights, these new ' vessels should greatly cheapen freights, and be of enormous us© to New Zealand.

Alfalfa (Lucerne) ,as Food for Man. In the United States is a, factory converting green alfalfa directly into human food. Of all similar plants, alfalfa is the most nutritious. Hitherto farmers .have grown lucerne as food for cattle, sheep, and hogs, which are then eaten. The new idea is to cut cut the middle maff-sheep, cattle, hogs—and feed the stuff direct to people. Thus tho great middleman (the animals) is wasteful expenditure. Quite good meal, as porridge is now made, Is obtained, and it is as nice and nutritious as that from oate. Biscuits and pastry are all made out of lucerne. The factory also .oxtracts a sweet syrup—like maple syrup. Altogether thirty-three kinds of food are already advertised as being on sale—direct from luceVne. !An enormous manufacture is confidently predicted ' if it takes on with the public. 'As alfalfa grows in. such enormous quantities per acre, it should materially reduce prices. A very good tea is made by preparing lucerne. I saw this tea. It is the same colour and is like that of ordinary tea —leaves and short, small stalks. A' number of us oh board smelt this t«a, and the aroma is distinctly pleasant. The owner of the parcel said'it made a first-rata tea. Enthusiasts say it will oust qtliar teas from the market. Undoubtedly lucerne will presently be largely grown and he eaten in various forms by man, and thus ho put to;speedy and profitable use. TE is confidently expected that this production of food will liavo enormous value to the world. Except that the idea is startlingly new and unexpected, there is no .reason _why we should not eat this plant, which is so valuable, a food for animals.

Electric Power from Hot Springs. Coal is scarce and j'very • dear ia Italy, where there are many volcanic springs, so scientific person.4 have experimented and have discovered that by boring near these hot springs it is possiblo to get aboundant supplies of hot steam. Wells 300 ft. to 500 ft. deep are .sunk, and the steam is used to drive electrical machinery. Several towns in I'taljr are lighted by electricity, the creative power being this volcanic steam. The supply is: constant and steady, and marvellously cheap power is produced—cheaper than most water plants. When the war is over, and the people have time,.there will be a great expansion, of this ; , industry. Of course- 'this discovery will prove of great'value to New Zealand, in parts where . hot springs abound. Italian cities are and have for some time past been lit by electricity derived, from these, steam wells, and motor power supplied to factories, tramways, etc. What is in work iii-Italy, can.:be'worked.in NewZealand, and it seems certain some, of our towns after the war will be lit by this means. The Hot- Springs area must become the seat of many'mamifactories in the near future.

Iron and Cement Buildings. The days of big brick buildings is fast passing—in a few. years none wdll.be built. In tho United. States big liew buildings have steel frames, and skeletons are clothed with concrete; so also in Great Britain iron is superseding brick. Really tall buildings cannot bo made of brick. Again, brick Buildings have thick walls—say, 2ft. 6in.— so two walls means sft., An iron wall is, say, Tin. —14in. for the outside walls. When land costs £1000 per foot, tho saving of 4ft. is a big consideration. Somo brick buildings need thick party v»lls—more waste of valuable space. ■ These iron-framed buildings absolutely earthquake, and fireproof, and will last for centuries. Tho magnificent buildings in San buildings are absolutely earthquako- and fireproof. In Sweden, large, barges are made with steel skeletons, and covered by concrete, and there small steamers are to be built of the same material —all such vessels are much cheaper than 1 those made of iron. It seems to me that in these three things, largo vessels fitted;with oil engiues—big ocean tramps—in the direct use of alfalfa ns food for us, and in the use of the abundant supplies of steam in the region of our Hot Springs there lie's ahead of ns really great and new forms of wealth for New Zealand.