N.Z. NATURAL STEAM TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY

Grey River Argus, 29 March 1948, Page 4

N.Z. NATURAL STEAM TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY

Scientists Suggest Following Italy's Example P.A. WELLINGTON. March 26. Two New Zealand scientists, Mr J Healy, of the Geological Survey of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Mr R. W. Foster, of Auckland Industrial Development Laboratories claim that utilsation of natural steam _ from the Dominion’s thermal districts is the solution to power problems. A report by these scientists says that drilled wells into thermal regons maiy be regarded as steam pipes coming away from an underground boiler, and that, as some of th P hundreds of wells which have been bored in Rotorua in recent years, have yielded a working pressure of 60ms. per square inch from relatively shallow depths. The- steam from: such wells could be used to generate lec tricity. < The scientists suggest that New Zealand engineers should be sent co Italy where there is large scale generation from natural steam . tom drilled well, or suggest alternatives that Italian engineers be temporarily brought to New Zealand to inaugurate similar generation in thorma. regions. _____