NO COAL WASTE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1931, Page 2

NO COAL WASTE

NEW CARBONISATION PLANT

FIRST SOUTH OF LINE

AUCKLAND. June 10.

Witli the opening of the low-tempera-ture distillation carbonisation plant at Rotowaro, the coal industry of the Waikato enters upon a new era. The plant is the first of its kind to be erected in the Southern Hemisphere. The official opening ceremony took place yesterday in the presence of 200 guests and the Hon. W. A. Veitch, Minister of Railways, and the Hon. A. J. Murdoch, Minister of Mines. Colonel W. D. Holgate, chairman of directors of Waikato Carbonisation, Ltd., welcomed visitors.

The plant had been erected under the supervision of Mr Heptimstail, the general manger, who has had many years’ experience in carbonising and briquetting in Canada, said Colonel Holgate. He had been assisted by Mi’ Finkbeiner and Mr Mueller, engineers sent out from Germany by the MetaJ Bank Company, the suppliers of the RotowarO' plant, Foundations for the scheme were commenced in March, 1930, and the erection of the whole plant had now been practically completed. The total cost was £145,000, which had been entirely financed by the coal companies interested. A subsidiary company was registered, called the Waikato Carbonisation, Ltd., in November, 1929, with a capital of £ll,O/ 000. .

PURPOSE OF THE INDUSTRY, "Th© purpose of the plant is the carbonisation of about 250 tons of slack coal per day, which is unsaleable for want of a market through tlie use of hydro-electric power," said Go! onel Holgate. "Without this plant that amount of slack coal would be a waste product and a national loss." The speaker went on to explain that tile slack coal which was being carbonised contained 16 to- 18 per cent, of moisture, and it had a calorific value of 10,000 B/i’.U.’s, the finished briquette having a calorific value of 13,va)3 B.T.U.’s. Tar oils were extracted and conveyed by pipes to the tar distillation plant, where the pitch was extracted. This pitch was used us a binder when making the briquettes. "These briquettes have been tried out on the Taupiri Company’s locomotives, by the Railway Department, and in otiier furnaces during the last week and have proved not only a high-grade steaming fuel but both smokeless and sparkless,” continued Colonel Holgate. "1 need not emphasise the importance of the use of such a fuel on the railways, particularly in tunnels, and in furnaces where a smoke nuisance is caused, or for any purpose where a high-grade fuel is necessary. The briquettes are easily handled, clean and no trouble to 'burn once the fire is established, and will stand nnv amount of exposure to the weather.”

CONORATtJL \TIONS TO MINISTERS, “On behalf of the Government and the Mines Department I wish to congratulate those who have had the enterprise and foresight to establish this industry, which no doubt will be of value to the whole of the Dominion,” said Mr Murdoch, Minister of Mines, He added tbpt a great work had been inaugurated, and one which would simplify the storage of New Zealand coal, It would also provide employment for many men, He agreed with t u e chairman of directors that if the plant accomplished all that was claimed foT it there wonVI be no need to go outside New Zealand for coal for storage purposes. NEAR WELLINGTON.

Mr Yeitell, Minister of Railways, said the most pleasing feature of the (lathering was that representative men from all over New Zealand were present, which showed that the whole Dominion was interested. He thought that the establishing of the plant was the forerunner of similar plants in other parts of the Dominion. Not only

would they tend to relieve unemployment but they would benefit coal production generally. No part of the world needed such as industry, as this more than New Zealand. As far as the Railway Department was concerned, if it were found financially possible and expedient to purchase the coal in the form of briquettes, then there was no reason, if carbonisation were a success, to go elsewhere. They could look to the future with complete confidence, and he ventured to suggest that similar plants would be erected in Southland, Otago and near Wellington. New Zealand needed these four plants.

"One is not too optimistic in expressing the view that this plant is only the beginning of extending the coal-mining industry of New Zealand,” said Air Veitch in officially declaring the plant open."