USES OF COAL GAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19940, 8 May 1928, Page 7

USES OF COAL GAS.

THE DEMANDS OF INDUSTRY. ■■ EXPERIENCE IN SYDNEY. The increasing use of gas in industry, and its popularity for domestic cooking, is responsible for a record consumption of coal gas in many parts of the world. This statement, made yesterday by Mr. Andrew Wilson, general manager and secretary of the Sydney Gas Company, was offered in explanation of the success achieved by the company in meeting the competition of electricity in Sydney in recent years-

Mr. Wilson, who is a passenger by the Niagara en route to Vancouver, is going to the Old Country to study modern methods of dealing with gas. "The demand for gas for heating and lighting in Sydney is not beiug affected to any great extent by electricity," he said. "There is plenty of room ior both." To demonstrate the continued manner in which gas is more than holding its own against electricity, Mr. Wilson supplied figures showing that last year there was an increase in. the Sydney company's consumption amounting to 450,000,000 cubic feet, representing an increase in demand of 7 per cent, over that of the previous year. There was a large increase in the number of consumers, and the maximum supply last winter amounted in one day to 26,000,000 cubic feet. • | _ . One of Mr. Wilson's objects abroad is to investigate recent developments m the use of coal gas in Europe. He has reason to believe that modern adaptations are particularly suited to Australian and New Zealand requirements. As it is, Australia has made considerable strides in adapting gas to its ever-expanding industries. Two industries specially mentioned were those of biscuit-making and bottle-manufactur-ing. Gas was used in bottle-making for annealing, which rendered the substance soft for tempering. . Mr- Wilson expects to introduce certain innovations into his company s ■works soon after his return. BURNS. PHILP AND CO. DIVIDEND OF 10 PER CENT. Burns, Philp and Company, Ltd., discloses a net profit of £221,612 for the year ended March 31, compared with £204,589 for the previous year. In the interval the paid-up capital has increased by £125,000. A dividend of 2s per share, equal to 10 per cent, on the present capital accounts for £150,000, a sum of £75 000 is carried to reserve, making that fund £650,000, and £20,086 is carried forward, against £23,474 brought into the account. Gross profits were £36,372 higher, expenses increased by £5019, and the amount allowed for depreciation is higher by £14.330. It is proposed to pay a dividend half-yearly, commencing with the financial year now current. AUSTRALIAN BUTTER BOUNTY. PAST YEAR'S ' OPERATIONS. A circular has been issued by the Australian Stabilisation Committee giving particulars of the results of the butter stabilisation plan for the year ended December 31. It is stated that the plan operated smoothly. It provides for the payment of a bounty of 3d a lb. on all butter exported from Australia to overseas countries, the effect being to increase the selling price of butter for Australian consumption by 3d a lb. Funds for the purpose were raised by a levy of l£d a lb. imposed on all butter manufactured. The sum received from the levy during the year was in excess of the bounty paid, and the surplus rebated to manufacturers was at the date of 7-16 d a lb. of the total production. The committee states that the results of the second year's operations, as in the first year, exceeded expectations. The manufacturers of butter in the five States concerned —Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania —responded unanimously bv paying the levy. That enabled'the'committee to carry on the plan and make bounty payments promptly. The balance brought forward from 1926 was £33,751. The total receipts from the levy were £1.441,054. Disbursements included £1,046.941 paid :n bounty of 3d a lb. for butter exported and £417,087 rebate of 7-16 d paid to manufacturers. A balance of £13.159 was retained to pay bounty for butter exported subsequent to December 31 on which a levy had been paid. The committee states that the main objective of the plan was to maintain the Australian price of butter at 3d a lb. above London parity.

During 1527, as in 1926, the monetary pain to farmers in Australia was more than £2,000.000. making a total benefit to them of more than £4.000.000. To achieve such a result the expenses for 1927 amounted to only £BB6O. As the sum of £11,243 was received as interest on money placed on fixed deposit the cost of administration to producers could be regarded as nil. The committee, in refunding the surplus levy to manufacturers, directs attention to the fact that, as the money came originally from the suppliers, it should be refunded whence it came. BRITAIN'S COAL PRODUCTION. DECEMBER QUARTER OUTPUT. In the December quarter of last year 60,550,401 tons of saleable coal were raised in Great Britain. Of this total the mines consumed 3,551,330 tons, and a further 1,419,339 tons were disposed of as miners' coal, leaving 55,379,732 tons for disposal commercially. Of this 16.429,930 tons were shipped for export and foreign bunkers. The net costs of production amounted to 14s 10.21 d per ton, of which 10s 0.77 d represented wages. The proceeds from the commercial disposals were at the rate of 13s 9.78 d per ton, leaving a debit balance of Is 0.43 d per ton. The number of workpeople employed was 945.480, and they worked a total of 57,964.035 man-shifts. Tho man-shifts worked actually at the coal-face numbered inst under 23,000.000. A further 3.659.730 man-shifts were lost which could Ifnve been worked. The output per man-shift worked averaged 20.82cwt.. and the average earnings were. 9s 7.38 d per manshift.

FRUIT PRICES IN LONDON. The New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board reports the receipt of the following cablegram from its London representative, ilr. It. E. Stephens"The Mataroa, Matatua and Mahana are all discharging. The Mataroa's pears are wasty, but the apples are good, except for a slight waste in Cox'a Orange. Prices are unchanged, but the tone of the market is slightly improved."