  We introduce the first results from an ongoing, systematic survey for new
symbiotic stars selected from the AAO/UKST SuperCOSMOS H$\alpha$ Survey (SHS).
The survey aims to identify and characterise the fainter population of
symbiotic stars underrepresented in extant catalogues. The accreting white
dwarfs (WDs) in symbiotic stars, fuelled by their red giant donors with high
mass loss rate winds, make them promising candidates for type Ia supernovae.
Several candidates were observed spectroscopically with the Southern African
Large Telescope (SALT). A total of 12 bona-fide and 3 possible symbiotic stars
were identified. The most remarkable example is a rare carbon-rich symbiotic
star that displays coronal [Fe X] $\lambda$6375 emission, suggesting it may be
a supersoft X-ray source with a massive WD. Several other emission line objects
with near-infrared colours similar to symbiotic stars are listed in an
appendix, including 6 B[e] stars, 4 planetary nebulae (PNe), 2 possible Be
stars, one [WC9] Wolf-Rayet (WR) central star of a PN and one WC9 WR star.
These initial discoveries will help shape and refine the candidate selection
criteria that we expect will uncover several more symbiotic stars as the survey
progresses.
