MR. E. M. SMITH, M.H.R.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 15 February 1902, Page 2

MR. E. M. SMITH, M.H.R.

HIS RETURN FROM BNGL4.ND. Mb E. M. Smith, M.H.R. for the district, returned home by the mail train on Friday evening, and was met at the railway station by a large number of townspeople. The Mayor (Mr Dockrill) calUd for thies cheers for Mr Smith, which vera given with great i heartiness. Mr Smith bow. d liis thanks, and after shaking hands with a ' number of friend?, escaped to his home. MR SMITH INTERVIEWED. Even at his residence, however, the returned voyager was not allowed to remain for long undisturbed, the übiquitous newspaper reporter soon putting in an appearance. In conversation with a representative of thi.i journal Mr Smith, who was looking extremely well after his trip, had a groat ■•leal of interesting matter to relate, which it would be beyond the limit of t*iis sketch to include.

Speaking generally on the subject if | ihe company which he and Hon A. J. | Cadmui ar» promoting to work the' Taranaki ironsand deposits, Mr Smith j said he could not at present add muc'i to what Mr Cidman had stated to a News reporter as published yeaterd vy, He intends, however, as soon as he receives a consignment of samples of tb > various things into which the irons uid hes been made during the recent vit-ic to Eugland, to arrange them in a place where tha public may inspect them, i and then address the electors, and ut; the same time give an account of wh it ] he has done in England. j "Of course," s»id Mr Smith, "«e have done a greit de-il that I am not at present in a portion to tell you 01,o l , as tnere are mmy little matters yet to finally se tied," He tnen showed our representative a few samples of ironsand as it appears when it leaves the manufacturer* hands in the shape of steel. Tnesa included «

heavy turning tool, surgical instruments, suck as dissecting knives and lancets, razors, pocket knivts, etc. Then thi-re wa» a bar of the lancet ste«l in the rough, and a larger piece, one side of which had been polished. The brilliancy of the polish astonishing, and such as should satisfy the most exacting of critics, Mr Smith casually mentioned that steel of the quality of the turning tool was worth £6O a ton at Home, and could be produced here for £2O a ton. The raports received on all hands were most flattering, as could b'a seeo by the report furnished by Mr John L, . "Stevenson, an engineer of high rnpu-.e ; in the trade in England, and which we i published a few weeks since.

Mr Smith then referred to his visu to Woolwich Arsenal, by special permission from the War Offioe, where he saw all the most modem mathoJs applied to the minuf«cture of arms and armament. He spoke also of his recep-

tion by Messrs Eig»r Allen and Qompany, of Sheffield, who displayed a keen interest in all that Mr Smith had to say. This firm had already had a m*n out in New Zealand to " spy oat the land," with the result tha l : but for the serious illness of a member of the firm interfering with the project, a branch of tha company's works would have been already established in New ZewZsaland. The general effect which the establishment of ironworks in Taranalp on a large scale would have on the prosperity of New Plymouth and the district, and, indeed, the whole colony,

CEtme nejft under review. Mr Smith dealt with the grent value of what might be called the byepraiqets" of the works. When he arrived in England with Mr Cadman, Mr Smith said he saw a prospectus of the Mood Qas Power Producing Company, of Hagent Oirous, London, By u sp<jc ul blast furuuue process the company was able to produce gas from acy quality of coal in much greater quantity than could be done by ordinary methods. He went to the company, and prevailed upon the management to test the Mokau coal, ag he considered that if this was sui tibia for gag production the amount that could be obtained from tbe blast furnaces at the proposed ironworks would be enormous and ot' grett value for power and illuminating purposes. The result of the trial was eminently satisfactory.. This gas from the furnace at ironworks could be us«=c| for driving machinery in the works, arid for developing electrical energy for both power and lighting purposes and propelling trams, as was being actually done at present in Eogtand, America, and Gfermany. Mr Smith then zke'ehed the proposals which his co.mpany had in hand, mention of which we are compelled to hold over for the preseut. He d .velt on , the need for improving the harbour to ] allow ccean vvs-e)§ to come right to jtlie company's own wharves. This would make New Plymouth the nearest port to Australia, and give us command of the markets. Australia and New Zealand had spent £11,000,000 in iron and.steel, ihegretter portion of which should come to works established in this colony. ; As evidence that the project was being watched with intereit by ttiosa in the trade, Mr Smith mentioned that already numbers of skilled men from tbe colonics had applied with a view to j securing berths whan works were ' started. He could also get 1000 picked men and experts in one month from j Sheffield alone.

After some further oonvers ition the interview close.!.