THE GAS CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20962, 27 February 1930, Page 15

THE GAS CONFERENCE.

MR MARLOW’S REPORT

At last night’s meeting of the City oouncil, Mr J. J. Marlow, chairman of the Gas Committee, gave the council the following report of his experiences at the recent Gas. Managers' Conference at Napier:—“The conference held this year m Napier was an unqualified success. The gas concerns of New Zealand, whether municipally or privately owned, do not enter into competition with each other, hence the spirit of co-operation, and the endeavour to give the fullest details to help each other to secure the best carbonisation results. ’ Naturally, the most interesting, debate was that dealing with coal supplies, and the fortunate position of Dunedin and Christchurch wag brought into strong contrast with that of other districts that had been driven to use Queensland and other Unsuitable coals. The statement was frequently, made by men from these towns that directly Australian coal was available they would use it again. Mr Belton (Christchurch gas engineer) put up a strong case for New Zealand . coal. Personally, I expressed the opinion that whilst there could bo no doubt that the Australian coal strike was disastrous to. the Commonwealth, it might prove a blessing to the Dominion by forcing the gas concerns of New Zealand to use our own coal, which would mean increased employment for the coal miners of. this country, Dunedin occupies the unique position of having the only vertical retort plant in the Dominion using 100 per cent, bitiminious. coal. Christchurch comes next with horizontal retorts which use 100 per cent. New Zealand coal, but a percentage of , this is lignite. Both plants are giving satisfactory results. A very.fine paper on,“Low Temperature Carbonisation of Coal" was read by Mr Donovan. This paper, whilst of little interest from a gas point of view, holds out .big possibilities of turning a ton of lignite- dross into lOcwt of valuable fuel and large quantities of low-grade fuel oil. An experimental plant is now being installed in the Waikato. Thip is of great interest to Otago, considering the large quantities of lignite dross going to waste here. . Another important question is the proper use of residuals, and. in’this connection the Christchurch Gas Company is to .be commended for the enterprise. it is showing in turning to commercial value what wer'e previously waste products.’’