CONSERVATION OF IRON ORE DEPOSITS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 95, 24 April 1911, Page 3

CONSERVATION OF IRON ORE DEPOSITS.

DISCUSSED IN CHRISTCHURCH. f3Y TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 22nd April. A resolution was passed yesterday by tha Trade 3 and Labour Federation Conference expressing the hopo that the ironmaster! of the Dominion would co-operate with or» ganised labour towaids the nationalisation of natural iron ores. The conference had just previously passed a resolution supporting an increased protection of tho iron industry, and tho nationalisation proboaal was brought on subsequently. Tho"subjeet was discussed with a reporter by tw» prominent ironmasters of Christchurch. Mr. Geo. Scott, jun., president of tha local branch of the ironmasters' Association, said that there was a good deal to bo said in favour of the proposal, and ho believed that it was the duty of the State to take tho matter up. Tho quality of the iron ore and sand deposits in tho Dominion was exceptionally good, asd tho existence of largo coal . supplies and undeveloped power Bhould enable the deposits to bo worked as cheaply as they could be anywhere else. The most prominent obstacle was that the consumption of pig-iron in Now Zealand was not larjje at live-sent, and to put up works would entail a big expense. , If, how'eveLv tho tavifi -was re-formed to give 33 1-5 por cent, increased protection to the iron industry, ho had no hesitation in saying I that there would be three times as much pig-iron used in New, Zealand. In the meantime, however, tho conservation of our iron deposits was an important quoßtion, and in that connection tho Stato could render a very good service, Mr. G. T. Booth remarked that there seemed to be little hope at present (pi for some time to come) of the iron ore deposits of the Dominion being worked to commercial advantage, either by_ the Government or by private enterprise. The only way in which it would be possible to realise upon this assot would be the salo !of tho oro. That, of course, would mean depleting ona of ?tho natural resources of tho Dominion, which, in time to conio, whon tho population had inorased very much beyond its present limit, would bo very valuable. In view of that fact it might be desirable that the Government should taKo some steps to prevent the de« pletion of this natural product with a view to tho material being worked up for local consumption in the future when tho eommorcial condition of tho Dominion warranted it. As far as tho immediate working of the deposits was concerned, the position was that a very large plant would bo necessary if smelting was to bo done, so that pig-iron could compote with imported stuff. A plam. which could work economically enough to do that would produce as much iron it a month as would bo used in Now Zealand in a year. Tho time would como when Now Zealand would bo a big manufacturing place, ami its iron oro deposits would bo of value to it. At present there was no shortage of iron oro throughout the world. An export of oro from New Zealand would bring in a low profit, but it would bo exhausting- a national resource which, in course of time, would become valuable.