GREATER USE OF COAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17953, 3 December 1932, Page 12

GREATER USE OF COAL

,MAIN HOPE IN GAS COMPANIES UTILISATION or BY-PRODUCTS The main hope for the increased utilisation of New Zealand coal is through the gas companies of the Dominion, according to Mr. F. W. J. Belton, chief engineer to the Christchurch Gas Company, who gave an address at the Christchurch Businessmen’s Club’s luncheon on the possibilities of coal utilisation in New Zealand.

The growth of the coal industry, Mr. Belton said, rested with the gas com- | panies. They spent thousands of pounds each year on research work -and kept in touch with all progressive movements. The decrease in consumption, lie said, was mainly due to less coal being used for household purposes, and in power I production. Many ships had- been conf verted to oil fuel. Goal burning plants for tlio generation of electricity had been pint aside in favor of water power. Hydrogenation—the production of petrol, from coal-—was a- field for experimentation. There were many difficulties in the way of this process, and only one ton of petrol was produced from 4!, : tons of coal. To install a plant capable of treating 1000 tons of coal t a day would cosf about £B,OOC'.GOO in New Zealand, arid with the best,'conditions the cost of production! would he BJUI a gallon. TAR AND ITS BY-PRODUCTS Mr. Belffyri. described how various types of coke Were produced, and said that it was hoped before next winter to have on the- market a> fire-grate which would burn coke by itself. In.. New Zealand it was possible to distill tar which' was tip to any roadmaking specifications in the world. Tlio production of other by-products was largely governed in New Zealand by tile amount of raw materials handled. Some benzole was produced here—mixed with petrol it stopped “pinking” and gave greater power. In Great Britain, Germany arid France JiomeprocTuced benzole was free of excise duty. Benzole could be produced here in greater quantities if there was: a guarantee of freedom from excise duty. If that guarantee was given the Government would lose a certain amount in petrol tax, hut the gain to the Government through taking men oft' unemployment relief, increased income tax, and railway freight would be about £4400 a' year in Christcsurch alone, j H the four main gas companies in New Zealand were to undertake the production of benzole, it would mean that 50 more men would be employed in the mines, and 16 men in the gas-works. From 380,000 .to 400.000 gallons of benzole a yerfr would be produced.