GASWORKS FOR LOWER HUTT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 310, 24 September 1921, Page 3

GASWORKS FOR LOWER HUTT

"ANOTHER HUGE BLUNDER”? RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION IN REPLY Mr. S. Clcndon, the acting-chairman Of the Lower Hutt Ratepayers' Protection Association, has made the following reply to the statement of the borough Mayor (Mr. E. P. Rishworth), which appeared, in yesterday’s Dominion : “I do not think His .Worship the Mayor is justified in the high and mighty attitude he has adopted towards the Ratepayers’ Protection Association as displayed in his statement published this morning, and his sneer at Mr Bell in his expression 'self-styledk secretary of the Ratepayers’ Protection Associax tion,' is hardly in keeping with his assumed dignity. I think that negotiations having failed between the Lower Hutt Borough Council and Petone for the supply of gas, the ratepayers of this valley are quite justified in taking a hand in their own business and attempting to come to an agreement with Petone before plunging.into an outlay of .■<164,000, or probably more, to erect works, and 1 am quite sure we shall be successful. Our only motive is anxiety to prevent tho Hutt from falling into another huge blunder. “We object* as sensible men, on the following grounds, and many others:— (1) Expensive cost of construction at the present time; (2) high rate of interest on Joans required; (3) early supply of electricity available; (4) possibility of . amalgamation witli Petone, when two gasworks would certainly not be required; <5) the possibility of -erection of gasworks in five years’ tipie, if required, nt iv far lower cost of construction and rate of interest; (6) a solid foundation will then be' available ns to the supply of gas- .that will be required in this borough after electricity has been Installed for two or three years; (7) a given quantity of gas can lie produced 1 nt a much less cost cut of one gasworks than can be done out of two gasworks probably half tho cost. “I do not pose as an expert, but these facts appeal to me as common sense, mid at our ratepayers’ meeting on September 30 next I hope everyone having the interests of the ’borough at heart will attend, when I can promise that a good deal of- valuable information on the opposite side to the construction of gasworks will be given.” I MR. RISHWORTH’S REPLY - “IMPOSSIBLE TO REOPEN NEGOTIATIONS." Mr. Rishworth'' replied last night to Mr. Clendon’s, statement as follows;--“I have no knowledge, other than the contributed statement to . the Press, of the formation of the Hutt Ratepayers’ Protection Association, and am quite prepared to accept Mr. Clendon’s assurance that such an association has been, formed. But as I believe that it consists of such a small section of the ratepayers of Lower Hutt, 1 cannot see that lie i« justified in taking up the attitude that ho is empowered to represent the ratepayers in negotiations with the Petone feorough Council. The various state>nients made as to the cost of the works, high rate of interest, and the possibility of amalgamation with Petcnid are all foreign, now to the matter jn hand, seeing that the Hutt Borough’ Council has decided to erect its own gasworks’ as a result of the substantial majority vote at the recent poll. The loan has been negotiated, and complete arrangements have been made for the erection of the (tasworks under Mr. Albert Eord. It is rather late in the day to talk now of Negotiations with the Petone Borough Council; indeed, it is quite impossible to reopen negotiations on the matter bf gas supply from Petone."