The Chronicle LEVIN: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1916. THE IRON INDUSTRY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 October 1916, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1916. THE IRON INDUSTRY.

The development of the processes of smelting Taranaki ironsandi seems to have reached a stage where permanent success may be reckoned upon. This news would have been good news for Xew Zealand at any time, but it is i exceptionally good at the present time, ! when overseas the conditions of trade i are such that all avenues of industry | have been prejudicially affected. For j this dominion to be assured of a workable and sufficiently l large supply of iron is a boon that scarcely can bo over-estimated. From a report on the latest statutory meeting of the Xew Zealand Iron Ore Smelting and; Manufacturing Company, Ltd., we not that the company, by the end of February or beginning of March next will be running pig-iron at the rate of seventy tons per week, and will have machinery capable of dealing with 270 tons per week. A furnace with a further capacity of 200 tons por week will be added shortly. Regarding the suitableness of Taranaki ironsand for commercial purposes, we note that at the statutory meeting of the company Mr J. B. Laureiison, of Ohristchurch, remarked that he was satisfied that at last the problem of smelting the Taranaki ironsand had been successfully solved. It was his profound conviction that this was so, andi on a commercial as well as a laboratory scale. He was now using the pig-iron produced at Moturoa in liis foundry and he was perfectly satisfied to go on using it. Messrs. P and D. Duncan, Ltd., of Christchurch, had tried half a ton of it and pronounced it cood enough for

their ordinary purposes. They had given an order for 100 tons at the market rate, which was now £14 to £1(5 a ton. He believed the iron could be produced at £3 a ton, so that there was a handsome margin of profit at present values. Of course they could not expect the present prices to be maintained after the war, but he had bought thousands of tons of iron and even before the war lie had never been able to buy under £5. He did not believe it would ever drop back to that figure. Everything would be (fearer after the war than before because labour would be better paid. I heir company was fortunate, however m that their engineers had succeeded in almost eliminating labour by the use of automatic machinery. Jliey would also be able, if they wished, to earn a Government bonus «1" 12s per ton, up to £75,000, but lie was not sure that the directors would endeavour to claim it because of some of thr conditions. Referring to the question of a market for their product, he said there was no need for anxiety on that point. Xew Zealand was a very greatuser of iron and. steel, and every day it was using more for building, bridge railways, etc. He was very confident about the future of their industry.