NEW ZEALAND GOAL FOR GAS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1931, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND GOAL FOR GAS

WEST COAST MINES AFFECTED.

OFFICIAL APPEAL TO MANAGERS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night.

The New Zealand Gas Institute resumed its aniiual sittings to-day. Papers were read on gasworks chemistry (Mr. W. O. R. Gilling, Christchurch), value of tai* (Mr. T. Dix, Cambridge), . hot water and gas tariff (Mr. C. H. Ridley, Christchurch), and increase of gas consumption in Great Britain (Mr. R. E. Bird, representing West and Co., of Birmingham). Mr. A. H. Kimbell, Under-Secretary of Minas, in rin appeal to gas managers to ponder seriously before they ordered coal from Australia, pointed out the sjprjous effect this was having on the West Coast nilnes, many of which were losing many days a ydar owing to lack of orders. He paid a tribute to the Dunedin City Council, which siiice the installation of vertical retorts was using 100 per cent. New Zealand coal, And said that the mine-owners wondered why other vertical retort owners could rio’ dt> the &a?ne.

Mr. Kiiiibeil pointed out that the number of mines in the Grey and Buller districts was 45, Which employed 2850 men, who were supporting something like 20,0(50 people. The annual production of the mines was about 1,232,000 tons. Twelve of the mines Were limited liability companies and the other 33 were worked by co-operative or other parties. The subscribed capital of the limited liability mines was £1,174,000. For five months during the Maitland coal strike only 285(5 tons »f Australian coal was used by six gasworks in New Zedlarjd, but in five months after the settlement of the trouble tlidhe six works imported 28,800 tons. That meant much loss of time to the West Coast miries, aild he therefore urged gasworks ihandgers to use as much New Zealand cohl as possible.