WEST COAST COAL TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 612, 15 September 1909, Page 10

WEST COAST COAL TRADE.

BRIQUETTES AND LOCOMOTIVE FUEL.?, ■ : (By Telograph-Press .Assboiatlon.) !'•;,' •;" ■'..• ";'■.■ :, \Vestport,-iSep'tember .14.' The : Stockton coal: trade is. improving,' several good orders having-been-received for slack for gas-making and-smithy, purposes. Hitherto .'the difficulty has. been to get rid. of the slack. Jfrv'W. Shackleton, who came to Westport under arrangement with the Government,■ to introduce a new .process .itt.'.coal-briquetting, has;had a considerable' number of-briquettes turned out,- and' they seem to jbe'a Very Jood. sample.' Speaking to.id "Westport,News .reporter,;he stated to-day.that he came over to Westport under engagement by'the Government to do a certain.thing, and he had been entirely;"succcssful..'.He.hnd not had to. alter his formula in. the slightest degree; and after niakine-.the- first .lot . of -briquettes he -.had handed over affairs to.tho-manager, of the bnquetto: works,; and the-latter had turned out briquettes similar to .his own samples without any trouble whatever. •'• The..process ensured better fuel,' sinokelessiiess being, ono of-, its, virtues, and the cost of binding was reduced onehalf ■ ' A gentleman' intimately • connected' with the local coal trade made'a protest to-day' against the statement mado by. the;-Minister for Railways that, the coal required for- tho- railways could ■ not. 'be. supplied from- 'Westpbrt.-.; He stated .that .on the Westport lip© •;• unscreened coal was,used on locomotive': with most satis'factory results., His , .idea ,was..that,,tlie;Railway . Department wanted) screened ■ Westport coal to mix .with.'inferior coal,'from*.tho State ■mine; and'he thought-that the.renjedy.:ought to be .'for icoal-owners not. to 6upply: screened coal at all. -.'■: ' ' .' " . :: •