1920.] Parry.—Nitrogenous Manures in New Zealand. 137 
is at present prescribed. This, however, was not intended to provide for 
the continuous use of electricity, but only the ordinary use for lighting 
purposes. The rental should be nominal, and should amount to not more 
than 5 per cent, on the operating-costs. In this case the operating-cost 
would be in the neighbourhood of £1 per horse-power per annum, and on 
the basis mentioned the rental should therefore not exceed Is. per horse¬ 
power per annum. Otherwise there is a risk of hampering an industry of 
the kind under discussion. 
Utilization of the Bowen or other Falls on the West Coast Sounds. 
It is agreed that some electro-chemical metallurgical industries must, 
if they are to be successful, be conducted on a large scale in locations 
where deep water and harbour facilities exist in conjunction with cheap 
water-power. Such is the case with the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen 
by the electric arc, and the same remarks apply, though to a lesser extent, 
to the manufacture of calcium carbide and calcium cyanamide. It is 
doubtful, however, whether either of these two industries can be conducted 
successfully on the West Coast Sounds.owing to the great distance from 
the principal markets and the limited extent of the local market. Inas¬ 
much, however, as natural facilities for conducting a business of this kind 
exist in an unusual degree on the West Coast Sounds, the question 
naturally arises as to the kind of industry which is most likely to take 
advantage of the facilities which exist. Judging from the trend of 
events, the process which is the most likely to take advantage of these 
opportunities is the electro-metallurgical reduction of zinc-ores and the 
treatment of complex ores generally. This would seem to be the kind of 
application of electric power to electro-metallurgy which is in demand in 
Australia, owing to the existence in abundance of ores of this class. 
The Amalgamated Zinc Company has entered into a contract with the 
Tasmanian Government for a supply of 30,000 horse-power for the electro¬ 
chemical treatment cf zinc-ores, whilst another company with a rival 
process has also entered into a contract with the Tasmanian Government 
for about 5,000 horse-power. These processes are regarded as being com¬ 
mercially successful, and there is no doubt that the processes now being 
tried, or a modification of the same, will meet with success, in which case 
large amounts of power will be required, far beyond the resources of 
Tasmania. Moreover, there does not exist in Tasmania, or anywhere on 
the Australian Continent, the combination of deep water and cheap water 
facilities which exists in the West Coast Sounds. Such a large power- 
demand cannot be satisfactorily and cheaply supplied from a general 
power-distribution system, and must be located in situations such as the 
Milford Sound, where the power is alongside the harbour, and where it will 
be entirely under the control of the manufacturer. 
It seems extremely probable that, if the zinc process is successful, long 
before the power available in Tasmania is exhausted some of the ore will 
be sent over for treatment to the West Coast Sounds, owing to the 
advantages which they offer. For the most part, even in Tasmania, the 
ore will be treated in situations where harbour facilities exist, though no 
doubt some of it will be treated at the mines. In any case transportation 
does not seem to be a serious obstacle, and if any of the ore requires to 
be shipped in order to transport it to another locality for treatment the 
probabilities are that it will be transported to a locality which offers the 
best facilities for treating the ore. And, inasmuch as the ore can be 
