TARANAKI IRONSAND

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 213, 17 December 1910, Page 3

TARANAKI IRONSAND

REQUEST FOR RIGHTS. A LARGE ORDER. The question of the utilisation of the ironsand of Taranaki was before the Harbor Board at its meeting yesterday, when the following letter was read from Mr. Robert Fergusson Strong, Glasgow: "I have for many years experimented with portion of these sands, and some years ago opened negotiations with the New Zealand Government for a concession and land grant of not less than 100,000 acres, with timber, abutting on the seashore, for the establishment of blast furnaces, steel works, plate and nail mills, etc. The importance of this to your province is obvious. The late Mr. Seddon was Very much in favor of it, and his Minister of Mines, to whom he handed the matter, asked me to communicate with you. A report got about here that a syndicate had been granted the sole right to work the sand in the colony. J found, however, a few months ago through your London office that nothing had been done and there was a likelihood of your breaking oil' with tkm. Circumstances during the last few days have come to my knowledge which empower me to ask for terms and conditions with the idea of creating a larger industry, capable of supplying not only all 1 the 'requirements of New Zealand but also exporting manufactured steel to America and Home. My process has been in operation at some of the largest iron and steel works in England for several years on fine ores, and is admitted by all to be the only one which successful ly stands the intense boat and crushing weight af large furnaeee. As you may know, the Imperial Japanese Government have large areas of ironsand. Tliey have equipped a large costly plant to produce 500 tons of pig-iron and steel peaday. They have failed to utilise the sand after repeated experiments with various systems. I have recently carried out experiments here at the request of the Imperial Japanese Admiralty with some of your New Zealand sand. The Ambassador and his assistants have sent to their Imperial Government the reports of the results, and I expect to visit Japan to put their plant in full operation. "If your Board entertain the proposal it would be necessary to grant a Parliamentary title, say on the following terms: — (1) A free grant of timber lands of not less than 100,000 acres for works and charcoal and chemicals required, the land to abut on the shore. , (2) A free grant of the sand for manufacturing pig-iron and steel in the Dominion, a monopoly, for 21 years from the grant. ' (3) Freedom from all rates and taxes for the term of 21 years. (4) All plant imported for the requirements of the works to be duty free. (5) Right to import workmen from Europe or elsewhere, but n« Japanese or Chinese laborers to be included. (6) The subsidy promised on the first 20,000 tons of 'pig-iron and all or-' ders for rails and other iron and steel required bv the Government to be placed with the concessionaire at import. : prices. (7) The consideration on my'part being that a fully-equipped blast furnace with the necessary complete plant for the output of one hundred tons of pig-iron per 24 hours be in operation within two years from the date of grant. "Some of these conditions may appear high. I have long considered the matter. A very large capital after the first will be necessary for the success of the enterprise—over a million sterling. This will 'have to be obtained here, and only with an assumed security will it be subscribed. From time to time attempts have been made to obtain capital. Some of the people who came from New Zealand, I am afraid, helped to spoil the efforts. The timber is important for the success. You have a very large area in Taranaki lying idle; in fact, a waste. It will be made into charcoal for the process. From the charcoal chemicals I will bey made required not only in the. Dominion but may be exported to Australia, America, etc., so a new industry ion a very large scale would be created in the course of a few years. I shall be glad to hear that your Board sees its way to carry through the proposal I put before you." A short conversational djseussion ensued, members expressing their opinions sententiously as follows: — "The timber area will have to be planted, I think!" "He doesn't want much, does he?" "(Most of the request is not a matter for the Board at all, but for the Government." "We have nothing to do with granting a bonus." "We have no timber right, no land, and no power to deal, with the bonus." "The free grant of sand is the only one that affects the Board." The last remark applies to No. 2 of the letter, and it was resolved that a reply be sent to the effect that the Board was not prepared to deal with that question at present, atad that all the other matters should be referred to the general Government.