NITROGEN FROM AIR

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 16, 18 July 1918, Page 7

NITROGEN FROM AIR

POSSIBILITIES IN NEW ZEALAND.'

Dealing with the subject of obtaining nitrogen from air, Mr. J. Orchiston, at the -Council of Agriculture Conference yesterday, made the following interesting reference- to possibilities in this country- . . ..„ : J

"Although there are four . different, methods -of obtaining, nitrogen from the air, only one of these systems, the direct .arc process as carried on in Norway, is likely to be a success in New Zealand. From a power point of view this system is the least efficient, but it has the merit of simplicity, and the work is largely automatic, involving the minimum of labour. In the Western Sounds of Otago there is-abundance of water-power waiting to ,be utilised, with the great advantage that nature has so placed these powers that they can -be cheaply harnessed alongsido first-ulass deep-water harbours. Such being the case it would be better business to sacrifice some cheap .power, .and save labour and capital. The Norwegians have made, a huge success of the enterprise in spitt. of the fact that their principal factories are located 86 miles inland. The nitrates produced at the Rjukanfos factories have to 'be first railed nine miles, then transferred to ferry steamers, for 20 miles, and again railed another 20 miles^ finally conveyed thirty-seven miles by ffat-bottomed steamers to the port of Skien. It will be observed that' eight different handlings are thus involved, apart from the rail and steamer charges 1, whereas at Milford Sound our factory would be located three hundred yards from the wharf. ' You are no doubt aware that a syndicate was formed in Dunedin over twelve months ago for the purpose of promoting the manufacture of calckim nitrate and other electrochemical productions. So far the Government, through the Minister for Public Works, has refused to grant the use of the water-power asked for,. although it. is less than'one 1 ancla-h&lf "per" cent, 'of' the power going to waste in that region. It was first asserted that we were only, acting for an American syndicate, and when this was denied the Minister said the power was too valuable to give away to any private company, so the waste goes on. Farmers and market-garden-ers will therefore have to.wait.so.many years longer" for'this all essential' plant' foodj which could be produced at their own door, so to epeak, instead of having to send to Chili for a dearer and less efficient fertiliser."