STEEL INDUSTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16672, 27 February 1925, Page 9

STEEL INDUSTRY.

MELBOURNE, Feb. 19.—Tf the people of Aiistrtlia would use Australian steel for their buildings and railways, the demand for moro steel would enable the Broken Hill Pty. Co. to double its works. That was tlk; evidence of Mr Essington Lewis, general manager of the company, before the Federal Public Accounts Committee to-day, at an inquiry into oil exploration and development. He thought that practically half the steel used in Australia was imported. .No tin plates were made in Australia, yet 50,CC0 tons yearly were imported, and 30.000 tons of steel pipes. Steel plates, of which tho North Shore bridge must lie made, were imparled in annual quantities of from 40,000 to 50,000 tons. Tho price of coal, of which three toils Was used in making a ton of steel, had increased from 6s a- ton to 17s- 9d — nearly 3CO per cent.—and wages had increased nearly 100 per cent. Doubling the output of steel, he said, was ft necessary condition in doubling tho output of benzol. The economical use of coal was one of the biggest problems, and the Broken Hill Company spent an enormous amount yearly in investigation.