THE COAL TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 190, 15 September 1909, Page 3

THE COAL TRADE.

SUCCESSFUL BRIQUETTE MAKING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Westport, Last Night. The Stockton coal trade is improving, several orders having been received for "slack" for gas-making and smithy purposes. Hitherto the difficulty has beeu to get rid of the slack. Mr. W. Shacklefon, who came to Westport under arrangement with the Government to introduce a new process in coal briquetting, has had a considerable number of briquettes turned out, and tliey look a very good sample. To a Westport News reporter, lie stated that he came over to Westport uiuier engagement by the Government to do certain things and he had been entirely successful. He had not had to alter lii« formula in the slightest degree. After making the first lot of briquettes he handed over affairs to the manager 01 the briquette works, and he had turnod out briquettes similar to his own samples without any trouble whatever. The process ensured better fuel, smo;<olessness being one of its virtues, and the cost of binding reduced one-half. A gentleman connected with the local coal trade made a protest to-day against a statement by the Minister of Railways that coal required for ra.'ways could not be supplied from Westport. He stated that On the Westport lines unscreened coal was used on locomotives, with the most satisfactory results, although locomotives had to draw long rakes of trucks laden with coal to port. His idea was the .Railway Department wanted screened Westport coal to mix with inferior coal from the State niin«. lie thought the remedy ought Jp be for coal-owners not to suiiplv screened coal at all.