FUTURE OF COAL-GAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 145, 22 June 1931, Page 9

FUTURE OF COAL-GAS

The opportunities awaiting the gas industry were emphasised by Sir Francis Goodenough, executive chairman of the British Commercial Gas Associa tion, in a paper contributed to a conference at Galashiels. He said their youthful rivals, electricity and oil. were each making a bid for their field of service. The gas industry rather welcomed competition, so long as it was fair. The extension of electricity, either in the home or in industry, need noi. and should not necessarily mean a diminution in the use of gas. At the present time only one-sixth of the coal used annually in Great Britain went through gas or electricity works, or was otherwise “trea®” to render it smokeless. The rest was used “raw,” creating smoke, and dirt, and destroying life and property. While there might bo some transference of gas business 1 to electricity or of electric, business to gas, the still unconverted live-sixths of coal-users were those to whom both industries should address themselves, each in the sphere of heat, light, or power best suited to them and economically useful to the public. The increase of 27 per cent, between 1920 and 1930 in the national consumption of gas and oClicr statistics proved that gas was forging ahead in spile of comjtetiilon. The day of the usefulness of gas in* both homo and industry was in fact only beginning. Their responsible mon must not bo satisfied until no smoke-creating fuel was used, whether in the homo or in history in any city, town, or village in the bind.