GAS OR ELECTRICITY?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1005, 21 December 1910, Page 5

GAS OR ELECTRICITY?

—: $ FOR THE HOSPITAL. THE COUNCIL'S NEW OFFER,The Hospital Board yesterday considered the report of a sub-committee (Messrs. E. C. Kirk, .1. Trevor, and. G. T. London) on tho lighting'anil heating at the Wellington Hospital. The committee stated that in view of a special offer made by tho: City Council, it had reconsidered' the:.question. .'.Without committing itself to a recommendation in favour of the council's offer, they thought that the board would be justified in not entering into' a fresh contract with the Gas Cimpany %t present. They recommended that the decision to renew the Gas Company's contract be rescinded, and that further time should be given to report on the whole question.. Accompanying the report was a letter from the City Electrical Engineer, offering, on behalf of the council, to supply electricity to the board at tho rate of 3d., per unit. Mr. Kirk said the position now was that tho council had offered to supply the board with electricity at one-naif the price charged to ordinary customers. This important feature justified tho committee'for what might appear to be a change o£ front. Mr. Trevor seconded. Mr. Fitzgerald contended that the committee had no right to bring in a further report, although ho appreciated its change of opinion. Mr. 'Robertson: "After jou had made the engineer reduce his price!" . Mr. Fitzgerald: "I havo done nothing of the sort!"' .

Mr. Fitzgerald then proceeded at some length to quota particulars in support of his contention that electricity was superior to gas. Mr. M'Laren congratulated the committee on. its report. Mr. Tan Staveren considered that the board and citizens should be rery thankful to Messrs. Fitzgerald rnd Smith for bringing this matter into • prominence. These two gentlemen, together with Mr. Hindinarsh, wore certainly entitled to thanks and gratitude. _ Mr. Smith expressed surprise that the committee had not recommended, acceptance of the council's offer, and opined that some alteration should be made in the committee. It-6hould.be extended. Mr. Mooro said that Mr. Fitzgerald had interjected, that "the _ council did not want a contract." He interpreted this as meaning that the council had something underhand ill view. Mr. Fitzgerald denied making the interjection quoted.' Continuing, Mr. Moors said tho whole o{ the con noil't customers might now want a reduction of 100 per cent, since this had been granted to tho board. The City Council wanted to arrogate too much to itself in connection with the Hospital Board. The board should look very carefully into this matter before incurring a possibly useless expenditure of -£GOO or <£700.

Mr. .Eobortson asserted that the committee had done noble work. It had brought down the council's offer by nearly half, which was good bargaining. The board, in'the speaker's opinion, should adopt electricity for lighting and .retain gas for heating purposes. Otherwise.they, would have to scrap a fine assortment of' gas stove 3. Mr. London said that tho reduction by the council from sd. to 3d. was quite unexpected.' Mr. Smith had said -. that local bodies should work-,in accord, but the council had not shown, any eagerness to do this in the past. _ It had not abated by- oiie jpenny the price of -water to the board. What had happened, was that, a private concern. had come along with a lower price than the council, and the latter body had said,,"We won't bo beaten," even if we los 6by it.", The Wellington City Council had not an'atom of right to supply electricity at a loss to the" board or anybody else. If it did it was not dealing justly by the ratepayers. 1-' ; - This view of the nosition was supported bv Mr.- E. C. Kirk. • Ultimately. the committee granted the extra: time desired for consideration. Messrs. Van Staveren, Hindmarsh, Smith, and Fitzgerald, were added to' the committee. Later, Mr.. Gardener protested that in appointing four-city, councillors ..to the ■committee the board had acted. unwisely and should reconsider its action. . . The chairnran .ruled, however, that the matter was closed for the time being.