SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17165, 15 October 1926, Page 7

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

IMPORTANCE OF COAL BETTER USES POSSIBLE (Special to the Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. A primary industry, the welfare of which is closely bound npNvith the whole question of secondary industries, is coalmining, and the utilisation of the coa; for the purpose of power and heat, proauction, said Professor Denham when addressing members of the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand. The cost of fuel, said Prof. Denham, was often » severe burden on many of the Dominion’s industries, such as the steel and iron trade, cement works, brick kilns, etc., and since the natural resources oi coal in New Zealand were by no means super abundant every effort should he made to utilise, to the best advantage her supplies. A complete chemical and physical survey of all Crown coal seams should he undertaken, and this should bo followed by large scale distillation tests, especially of brown coals, either at the British fuel research station, or, if- need be, in Now Zealand. By such tests alone could one determine the method by which coal could be most economically utilised. Recent work bad shown that by suitable treatment it was possible* to obtain even from poor coals considerable quantities of motor and fuel oils, together with smokeless coke, which hums in an open grate as well as raw coal itself. ~ “In these days of diminishing oil resources e'Vei'v effort should he made to release New Zealand from entire dependence upon imported oil fuel. This work should be mapped out by a committed of scientists, Government repre senfafives, colliery owners, and possibly large scale users, of coal.”