A GARBAGE DESTRUCTOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13855, 19 March 1907, Page 7

A GARBAGE DESTRUCTOR

INTERVIEW WITH THE TOWN CIiERK;

A representative from this paper ifaited lyioii Mr H. W. Richards, tlio town c|crlc of Dmifldin, yesterday with reference to the destruction of the city garlage, a matter that has of latp come in for a good deal of discussion. Wbilo not wishing to commit hiipself to what might possibly bo tlie policy of the council .'in pursuing the question of the disposal of refuse by fire, Mr Richards said that, as far as Dunodin was concerned, ho did not see tlio possibility of tho utilisation of wasto beat beyond a flag-making plant and mortar mills. On l|is report on tho subject/dated 18)7 (\vrittnn upon, the experience of the working of (lie Shorcditch combined plant for the treatment of refuse and the utilisation of the wasto heat for the generatipn of electrical power), ho mode it clear that it was somewhat inconsistent to expect the delicate machinery attached to electricity production to bo associated with the treatment and burning of garbage. Our representative gathered from him that his views had in no wise changed, and lie made it clear that for tile general ion of electrical power tho plant that might bo installed for flic treatment of garbago wns quite' secondary and useless for tho ■ generation of power for electric lighting or oilier purposes gorwano I hereto. In tho most recent installations—for instance that of Kottering, ]^ermond.soJ•—tho utilisation of waste heat for the generation of electricity had been provided fpr, hut in a. city like Dunedin, where so much had been entered upon in tho direction of electrical energy, it would, ill his opinion, lip idle for the corporation at this stage tp attempt to supplement i{s electrical power by means of ti garbage destructor installation. Apart from tlic fact that tho heat and power available would' bo intermittent, said the town clerk, the fuel therefor wns not available. "In this city," ho continued, "wo have- about 50 tons per day of garbage to bu consumed, awl it would be as well for tho Oily Corporation to at once dismiss from its mind dto idea that tho garbago (Instructor would be attended with anything like commercial teimlta or success in tho i event of its being installed. Tho cost of the destructor would bo at. least £11,000, and, provided that tho installation was cmbarked upon, the only possible commercial value that would, follow would bo lliu making of flags, the. products of a mortar mill, awl possibly material {or tho blinding of roadways. Ponding my advising the counoil further, it -will not bo necessary to jiursuo this interview."