GAS CO. V. CITY COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 612, 15 September 1909, Page 11

GAS CO. V. CITY COUNCIL.

~: i ,.v.-., | '.--;V; ; ;y.-:-.,- ,-'/-)-; B ';. ; -'■■'■" V ; -; ■■■'"./■ : -\ proposals..; , : ! i The 'following letter was forwarded to . the ' City Council , by- tho managiuf-director'.of. the: 1 Wellington Gas: Company (Mr. Wm.-Ferguson) "yesterday; .in reply; to. the town .clerk s letter of ; tho. day; before:— .'\ :.7 ■;,.■;■ .- ,; .' v. ■ ;»-.; ]■'• .Vtiio 'Town,"Olorb, Wellington.. : . l''^r■.■:.:::■ -,

■'■■ [■'. "i •;V■v'-:; ;, fffJTHOUT: ? PBBItipiOEi : ;-.,;':- ■■;.". -; ■■' "Sir,T-I am In recoipt of-'your letter of. yoster-' day's date." ■ -...'. :'■■■."■ '■':'■■■' ■■'.■'V .- •-,-.-: ■■ J ■y'"With roferenco to the, first' portion thereof,my directors regret that your committeo shouldhave failed to -understand the purport, of .my;, letter.' of- September .6, whoroln , H was-.Bought Uhat'tho company should have the'option,.prior; ito 1 the .termination' of r ; ,ony,"iporlod, to ieloot l whether'it would continue during the ncit com- 1 .ing'porlodf. either.:to purchaso immunity/from competition by an annual payment to your, 'council, or to run ;tho risk ,of competition in th6*"Helroso'district'; , or;'in'--'tW- alternatiVe.-'-to run the .risk of purchase of- tuo Melroso reticulation by' the' councirTia'doFln'frprtSporccriJgree"' inentatiany: tlino. ithorcaf tor. Thoris was no; suggestion' thatby Bivingtwclvb.months'.noticothe company could discontinue tbo gas sapply. to '-'the '■ district, and it is hard to , understand .howa-yaui iCommittce.could, Buch,.an,,ab-, "surd deduction out .of my .letter.; : My Boardlasreee-, vith ,, you ■ that.* your,. intprpretiitipn.,that company/ jnteh't-idlsdoiiunuo the-isuSpßr of gas on twelve ■ months',-notice.! would■? bo.-3 "ox-, coodinjjly unreasonable"; in faot,* it appears to tho directors to bo so ridiculous an interpretation ■of-their. request that they'can. scarcely Imagine '■'that'' it >has. ''beeff ■'. put; forward . seri-; ously; , ' ■ ■j l '-'.v. ''-''• •? /■'.'/[-■'; ■ r ~~ ■'■-.'■' f^H'/ 1 ' ■■ "In regard to the latter part., of'your letter, whorein you claim'that 1 tha proposod'newiagreoment shall, enlarge; the scope', of 'tho existine llelroao agreemeht soas'to give: to-your corporation- purchasing' powers over ' tho retieulaiibn, of: an -.area greater than. that of. Uidi old. ;llelrosoVßorough,r I am -directed., to^point..out that- this is .a' new suggesllon"to k and ■to regret 'that-the-intentionf.bf'-.thpVcomidittoe should. pot have.• been ■ -,dlsClosCd;j.<it';'anveaTlier ''date '"'"■ -' '■'"'■'' ' : • * -'■' ;.-?i'-i'M^-''' i -j'i , '' ? ;'^'--J. < i^'Ail-'-''^v''"^'.VV^'' ,,, '•"The boardi'of dircetora'jh<)j_ea'-iWt';-;by^tinK. ;the T^r3r'liberM'offefa;;th.afc>itVd)d;j'tlicr^i , .qojild/been: effected >;■ settlo;beh,l. Vat: any;'r.Ato, •■ .of: the,Melrose. SectionVof .the"'pisitters '.that' have' .been- tinder ne'gotiationj-.'an'd : rcgrcts -that' a , .acttlement' cannot 'buf.aftpreserit.<-effectcd.*.r' am'; therefore,, instructed to,,inform..; youV'that'-.the, directors'-'are- unanimoqs in .decliningftho ;-proposals' madoiln ' your letter" ot.-.Septembcr,2 as modified.by;'your lotter of-Septemberl3,\and.at the ';samo .timo thoy '-,\yithdraw.!"aU'.'.pcdposali; [placed on'behalf of the.company'beforo' tho Gas' Committee of :the -council. /.'. '- ; ; ■ I .'.'Should .tho. council, or. its Gas.OommitUe be; prepared : .at 'any : future "time : to! reopen " nego-i t.iations on a fresh and' more reasonable basis my board will'be pleased,;in the intoresta'of the" inhabitants :of' the suburban ■ districts, as well aain 'those : of>'the company,' to strive to meeej the .views of - the' corporation.—l am; sir, youn truly,'' William Ferguson,'.Managing; Director."-