USING SCRAP STEEL

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1917, Page 1

USING SCRAP STEEL

A CHRISTCHURCH HXTHRPR ISK. Wklli.nc.ton*, Oct 3 The I mill st lies nn;l Commerce Committee reportejl to the House that, while not ]ire]>rired to recommend a bonus to Messrs Waddell and Smw. Christchurch, ior the

production ot steel irom scrap by electrical process, tile petitioners should be allowed 1“ import the necessarv maeliin'-ry live ■! duly.

Mr Witty rcyretted that tlic comuiit'.ej eouH not soi- its wa_\ to recommend a bonus <>i (, i |h-i ton on the output. The industrv would use up all the scrap steel in Xtw Zealand, 'vhieb now went to waste. Messrs Waddell and Sons were prepared to purchase machinery in America to produce by electric.i; power some ot the linesl steel possible to manufacture. This linn made hk;'h-class steel for locomotive wheels, and Was prepared to yo to any expense ii ihc industry \va - fostered.

Mr HU assured the Ibmse lint n Messrs Waddell’s energy were encouraged it would result in a very valuable industry being created. Air Sidey stated that the committee would have been glad t--help the petitioners to a greater extent, but this was not the only grant. A process tor utilising.steel scraj) was at work in Dunedin. The prospects ahead ot the company were amply sufficient to encourage its operations. To offer a large bonus meant that only one firm could get it, as others could not enjoy the use of cheap elec tricity from Hake Coleridge. Dr Thacker expressed surprise at the last member’s parochialism He heartily supported the proposal for a bonus, because electrically smelted steel would stand twice the stiess of ordinary steel, and was a great factor in winning the war. Mr Yeitcli said that the plant was not to manufacture steel, but to work up scrap. If it turned out enough steel for a few dozen guns, it would have no scrap left to keep going. It was the greatest absurclitwpossible to establish a steelmaking plant in Canterbury, where there was no iron ore. Plant already existed in New Zealand which could absorb all available supplies of serap steel. SOUTH ISLAND AHEAD. “ Where is the statesmanship of North Island members, who allowed Hake Coleridge to be harnessed first?” asked ATH Poole (Auckland West). “They waited to see if it turned out well, though we have better resources in the North Island.” Members : We have had reports. Air Poole: I want to apply the lash. While we are talking about industrial development and consumption of coal in new industries, millions of lior.-se-po we ra re running to waste. Mr Payne agreed that members deserved to be made to sit up over their tolerance in supporting the Lake Coleridge scheme while North Island hydro-electric resources remained undeveloped. He strongly disapproved of a tinv plant being heavily subsidised in Christchurch when it already had the advantage of cheap State-provided power. Mr Field (Otaki) declared that all North Island members were as one in this matter of the North Island .scheme, and the Government had given an absolute promise that the moment the war was over a comprehensive waterpower scheme for the North Island would lie undertaken. He and other members, lie knew, would not rest until something were done. Air Wilkinson (chairman of the Industries and Commerce-Commit-tee) declared that the Committee had gone into the matter ofa hydroelectrical power scheme tor the North Island, and intended on its own account to bring down a recommendation on the subject.

The report was adopted