COAL FOR GASWORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22431, 29 May 1936, Page 12

COAL FOR GASWORKS

USING DOMINION PRODUCT INCREASE AGAIN URGED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday The opinion that gasworks in New Zealand coukl use a considerably greater quantity of New Zealand coal than they were at present consuming was expressed by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in an interview to-night, although ho said there had been a fair responso to his recent appeal to gasworks proprietors to use more New Zealand coai.

"While there has been a very considerable increase in the amount of New Zealand coal used in gasworks," said the Minister, "1 am convinced that a still greater amount can be utilised and it behoves tho companies to realise the Importance of making fidl use of our own coal. If the primary producers and manufacturers of this country wero subjected to tho free entry of foreign produco and manufactured goods it would have a most serious effect on our industries and 1 think the least the coalmining industry can expect is that its product should be fully used." There was no excuse, Mr. Webb continued, for any horizontal retort gasworks to use one ton of Australian coal, and, while vertical retorts wero constructed for the consumption of coal of a more or less non-swelling character, these could undoubtedly consume more New Zealand coal than tliey were using or proposed to use. The response made by the gasworks proprietors to his appeal to make uso of a greater quantity of New Zealand coal would have a determining influence on any legislation he might recommend to the Government in the future concerning imported coal.