COAL, GAS, AND ELECTRICITY.

Evening Star, Issue 21711, 4 May 1934, Page 3

COAL, GAS, AND ELECTRICITY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Your correspondent “ H.” complains of Mr Oakenfull’s bias as a coal merchant in favour of coal, but omits to mention the bias to electricity of Mr M'Keich, an electrician. Probably “ H.” himself is in the gas department, but that is all by the way. “ H.’s ” contention that you get only approximately 20 per cent, efficiency of heating value from the use of coal is entirely wrong, because anybody knows that heating efficiency' depends (no matter what method) mainly upon the type of appliance in which it is used. The standard in New Zealand for gas must not be below 475 B.T.U.s per cubit foot, and one unit of electricity contains 13,415 B.T.U.s heat. Both these forms of heating must be constant owing to the small B.T.U. content compared to coal. It is the big improvement in the appliances in the last five years to burn gas that has gained it the wider usage, not the gas itself. The types of coal ranges in most homes to-day have been in use for the last forty to fifty years, and the bulk of them are probably relatively inefficient or fitted to old-fashioned flues. Uy fitting gas jets or electric elements into such appliances we would assuredly get no heat at all, yet by using coal un intense heat is obtained. 1 have no desire for entering upon a controversy' about the matter, but believe that our first need is to produce the most scientifically efficient type of solid fuel stove, for are we not rich in vast coal resources, the exploitation of which will furnish proportionately more employment to miners, railways, carriers, etc., etc., in the future, at the same time producing rates and taxes for the Government without becoming, perhaps, a State or municipal liability ? —I am. etc., May 3.