COAL SHORTAGE

Marlborough Express, Volume LII, Issue 83, 12 April 1918, Page 2

COAL SHORTAGE

' ADVICE T(MK>NSUMEK£

The Hon. Arthur Myers (Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies) ill a statement at Wellington, invited the attention of all. coal consumers to the necessity of the keenest economy

being observed in the use of coal, a-s1 under present conditions it is only possible to- maintain all activities by having regard to this important matter. In. view of the present shortage of * coal for domestic. use, and the cer- 7 tainty that the positions of biuiminous ' coal for (household purposes will be- • come more acute, as tho winter ad- * vances, r.he Minister has had the fol- 1 lowing hints on fuel economy draw"! \ up for general information, and t:i!s;.: j that every householder will lead s.lll1 1 ' witih interest, with the object of secur- ' ing tho maximum results from the ! coal and coke usedl, and to eliminato ; all waste whatsoever. Tfhe hints are \ as follows:— ' (1) Coal and coke mixed in equal proportions give a fuel which will last longer than coal alone. Though the fuel will'not'blaze tio the. same extent, it will give a steady red-hot effect. \2) Remove partially burnt embers whew &foH go to bed, and put them aside to cool on the .hearth or hob, for use the next day. (3) Sift -all cindersi so as to recover all partially burnt coal. (4) Do not leave the dampers of the coal range out longer than is necessary to heat the water in the boiler, or to do the cooking. Wlien dampers are out the consumption of fuel is increased. (5) By banking down a fire with small coal slightly damped and pressed down the fiire- can be kept in for a long 'time without waste of coal. (6) If a fireplace happens to be a large one, and only a small slow burning fire is required, fill in part of the space with coal balls formed by mixing coal with clay—these, can easily bo made at home. When dry ond placed in the fire they will, when the coal is well under way, form a glowing mass, which will consume very slowly. (7) Many grates, owing to their largo size, are mose uneconomical in th-9 use of coal. The size of large , grates can be effectively reduced by inserting firebricks at tins sides of the fire, the firebrick becoming red hot and retahjing heat for a long time. (8) Jn all coal stores and storage bins there will always be a certain ' amount! of small coal or slack made ; from tho breaking up of coal, especi- j ally whoa'filling it into the scuttles, j This should be used for damping the > fires or for^ making the balls'already all tided to, and .should on no account . be thrown away. . • [ (9) Us gas whenever possible, but 1 economise to tlhe utmost in its uso. By using gas you reduce the amount of coal required to bo carried and delivered in retail quantities, and so economise labor without vis well :ta within your homo. At the same time you are assisting in tho further production of_ by-products in tho gasworks, which are commercial necessities at tho present time. •;10) For similar reasons, if you uso solid fitol use, «;;>s cnk<> whoaiover possible instead of coal.