VIII. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



ance of doing this can hardly be over-estimated. Owing' 

 to a number of varying factors this problem presents it- 

 self in a different aspect in every country. 



In Australia, with its limited population and manu- 

 facturing industries, together with a fairly plentiful 

 supply of coal, the necessity for economising fuel has not 

 been so pronounced as in most other older countries. 

 Consequently we are far behind these places in the use 

 of the gas engine. I fancy we hardly realise the extent 

 of the development that has taken place on the Con- 

 tinent in this direction. In order that success can be 

 achieved with gas engines of any considerable size the 

 local conditions have to be carefully taken into account, 

 more especially with regard to the nature of the avail- 

 able fuel. Very little has so far been done in Australia 

 in tliis direction, and there is scope for much investiga- 

 tion of local coals, etc. Other countries, notably Ger- 

 many, under stress of dear fuel conditions, have success- 

 fully utilised fuels which previously were of no commer- 

 cial value. For instance, gas engines are being success- 

 fully operated on mine refuse containing as high as 80 

 per cent, of non-combustible matter, and peat and lig- 

 nite containing 50 per cent, of water. 



Such fuels are absolutely useless for steam-raising 

 purposes. The waste gases from coke ovens, blast fur- 

 naces, and even copper smelters are also very extensively 

 used for operating gas engines. We have had pointed 

 out to us the possibility of more economically using Ips- 

 wich coal for various power requirements in Brisbane by 

 generating electricity at the pit's mouth from inferior 

 fuel instead of transporting higher grade coal to the me- 

 tropolis. Of the economy and feasibility of such a scheme 

 there can be little doubt in the technical mind, 'but 

 before such a project can eventuate it is generally neces- 

 sary for the public to appreciate the value of the pro- 

 posal. In the case of water power, the man in the street 

 rarely fails to discern the potentialities of a handy water- 

 fall, and hence it is usually comparatively easy to get 

 such a scheme developed. For instance, if we had a 

 Barron Falls at Ipswich it would no doubt have been 

 harnessed for Brisbane's needs long ago. It may occa- 



