ASHBURTON GAS, COAL AND COKE COMPANY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1998, 16 November 1888, Page 2

ASHBURTON GAS, COAL AND COKE COMPANY.

Ths t athannu »1 general mscilng of the ABhbnrton Gas, Oo^l and Coke Company wbb haH at the Arrada yenterday aftor noon. Present -iieaaraT Bullock (Oha'rman), H F<-iedlnn:W, W. Bt. G. Doughs, E. Oookson, J. Ward, Rsv. A. M B<jattie, BBPOHT AND B VLANOE SHEET, The report and bdance-Hhoot, which wore taken aa read, showed ihit during the past yjar thare had bean a redaction made In the. price of gas, which la now charged to ordinary on jam ira at 13i 41, and for ga« engines, gaa et-wea, e ( c ,at 9a 21 per 1000 fee?, net*. This cimnsslon should give satisfaoMon and oaase inoreaaed oanantnption. It his been neea^ary to amend the articles of AvjocUtlon, at a oosfc of about £33 The statement of pr ifit and lons showed a orodlt of £779 13' 7 I, oat of which the Directors reoimmended the payment of a dividend of 7 p<r ceot per annum on the paid op o»pit»', whloh will abs rb £560. leaving £219 13-7. to be carried forward. The Chairman m moving the adopfc'on of the report and bnlaooe-sheet trcs'bd that the action of 'h-? Dl eoto s In lowering tha prlca of gaß woald lead to an Increase In the C'insampii m. They had to aitor the artioloß of A*s )cUtlon at a coat of £30, and this anJ tho decrease thit hid beea made m the price of gaa left them m the poßUlon of only deola-lng a 7 p^r cent dividend this ye<r Like everybody else, the consumer h-d b?en studying economy, bat he trashed that m consequ -nee of the redaction more paoplo thai m the past wou'd naa ga«. Sa would draw attention to the fiot that :h> Oonopinf hid a number of gaa stoves which they would sell for cash or on deferred paymentr, Mr Oookaon eaid that m Cirlstoharch intending parahasera were allowed six ; months' trial of the atovea. He preaotned a elmilur privilege would be granted hero, The Onalrman had no doabt that the Direotors would allow the same privilege, though of course the consumer wotfd have to undertake to keep the stove m good repair, daring the Urns he had it on trial. He might mention that daring the past year the Directors had economised m every way possible. The Directors, renuoaeratlon had been reduced from £60 to £36, the offio-3 rent was now merely nominal, and m additiou redactions b»d been made In the salaries of the staff, and he fult bound' to etate that their effioora had met them In a very liberal eptit. The Rev A M. Beattie seconded the adoption of the report and balance-sheet He thought under the circumstances they were very satisfactory Tho motion for adoption: w^a thsn put and carried. ' METER RENTS. Mr Cookson suggested thut the Directors might tako iuto coDeideration the possibility of allowing some concession to old consumers, who had been paying meter renta for a long timo pnat. DIVIDEND It was resolyed thut th"c dividend of 7 psr cent should be payable on Monday, November 19. DIRECTOBS Messrs H. Friedlander and P. Standish, the retiiiug Directory were re e'ected. AUDITOB. Mr G. Jameson was re-elected Auditor fof-tiier^lißuing year. COMPLIMENTARY. On the motion of the Kov A. M. Beattie a vote oE thanks was passed to the Directors. The Chairman, on bohalf of the BcTata^ of Directo'B, returned thanks. On the moiion of Mr Friedlander, a hearty vote o£ thanks was passed to the officers of the Oompiny. Mr Cawsey (maoa^cr), and Mr J. Ward (secretary), returned thanks. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.