OIL FUEL FROM COAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 9

OIL FUEL FROM COAL.

PROGRESS IN GERMANY. (Received November 28, 7.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. BERLIN, Nov, 27. Dr. Bruedkmann, a director of the Mineral Oil and Coal Utilisation Company, in a lecture, said an expenditure of from £20,000,000 to £25,000,000 woulil enable Germany within ten years to erect a coalrefining plant to fill the atinual demand for 2,500.000 tons of motor fuel by the Beiguis process, which, already had so progressed as to enable 12cwt. of motor fuel to be extracted from one ton of coal. The plants for putting out 50,000 tons could be worked to show a net profit of £2 10s a ton. OIL EXTRACTION FROM .COAL. PLANT FOR NEW SOUTH WALES. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Nov. 27. Mr. A. E. Broue, after six months' investigation in Germany concerning the extraction of oil from coal, says he has purchased the rights of the Lurgi system of oil extraction from shale, at a price which will enable the product to compete with well oil. He said he had ordered tho plant, which was to bo delivered in March, to operate the deposits at Newnes, New South' Wales.

PROLONGED MEAT WAI?. NOW NEARING AN END. HEAVY ARGENTINE LOSSES. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, Oct. 19, The "meat war" which has cost the companies engaged in the Argentine chilled beef trade anything up to £30,000,000, is believed to be in its last phase. Difficulties with regard to the quantities each company shall import info Britain have been overcome and the question' at issue now is who shall bring it here, ... . It is understood that the great Vcstey organisation, which, in addition to its meat interest, also owns' the Blue Star Line, holds that it is entitled to employ part of its fleet to bring the imports of other companies as well as its own to this country. It is this point which is delaying the final settlement. In the meanwhile, tho Sansinena Company, (he only Argentine firm engaged in the war, has had to admit losses in the conflict amounting to approximately £6Bo,ooo—and has written down the nominal value of its ordinary stock by 30 per cent. The Argentine people gravely concerned at the effect on the national industry of cattle breeding if the war continues, and proposes tojisk the Argentine Government to make regulations ensuring an equitable share of exports among all the companies. The wa r has now been raging for two years and a-half, and has been generally ccarded as a conflict between Americanrepresented by the firms of Swifts, Armours and Wilsons —and British—Vesteys—interests for the control of the British market. NEW COMMONWEALTH LOAN. ISSUE UNDER SUBSCRIBED. (Received November 28, 11.10 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. LONDON, Nov. 28. The Daily Telegraph, say's the underwriters expect to hp saddled with from 50 to 70 per cent, of the new Commonwealth loan. LONDON DAIRY PRICES. CHEESE MARKET IMPROVES. Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London manager, dated November 26: Butter: Finest, 178s; first grade, 174s to 1765; unsalted, 1925; stored, 170s*-to 1725; Danish, 2055, spot, and 194s f.o.b. Cheese: White, 102s; coloured, 100s; matured, 104s. The market is firmer, with a better demand. Canadian finest white and coloured, spot, 102s to 104s; Octobers, 104s to 106s; Septembers, no c.i.f. business. Retail unchanged. "Matured" dices;' probably, refers to makes late in last season—about April and May.

DOUBLE TAXATION. shipowners; obligations. In its efforts to keep shipping free from double taxation by leaving a io be taxod in its own country, it is understood that the documentary committee of the London Chamber of Shipping some time ago approached the : Australian Ministry, which, however, could, not undertake to adopt tho views of the' chamber. In addition, the chamber sought to obtain from tho United States an assurance that shipping entering the ports of that country would not be subject to surprise taxation, but beyond tho promise that consideration would be given to the question ,tho matter has made no further progress. Tho chamber recently proposed that charterers should accept tho responsibility for any double taxation which might be levied. So far as Australia is concerned, British steamship owners associated with the London Chamber of Shipping may take it for granted, says the Melbourne Argus, that charterers here will not accept lisks which they consider it is the duty of the owners to shoulder, and there is little prospect of a clause to this effect being embodied in the charter party. If the chamber should insist on its inclusion a large volume of Australian wheat would probably bo diverted to foreign steamers, which would bo most undesirable.

AMALGAMATED TEXTILES. DEPRESSION IN INDUSTRY. In their annual report the directors of Amalgamated Textiles (Australia), Ltd., stated that anticipations with regard to the success of the company's operations liuve not been realised during the past year. An Albury correspondent ftatcd recently that the mill at that centre was not able to continue production of 60 pieces a week, tho average for tho first six months being 51 pieces a week worked. Tho Orange mill, which was a duplicate of tho worsted section at Albury mill, had Only averaged 14 pieces a week. The market for wool tops had been stagnant for the greater part of the year, consequently tho combing "section during that period was run at a loss. A change of management, beginning in July, was made at an inopportune time, in that the company practically missed tho whole of tho season's buying. In spite of these drawbacks, said the directors, the results over a three-months' period showed a loss of only £503. Production had since gradually increased and for the first time tho whole plant at both Albury and Orange was in first'* class order and all' running. The directors could confidently claim that tho company was in a position fo produce goods profitably and if orders could be secured to keep tho plant fully occupied, the financial result would be satisfactory.