CORRESPONDENCE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4169, 1 December 1884, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

GAS COMPANY. [To -HE E-T-OK- O". THE Da_L_ TeLEORAPH. ] Sir,—l was rather surprised at your reHastings gas company. It is the first time I have seen a local paper throw cold water- upon a scheme which is for the public good. But I suppose your remarks were made more in. antagonism to your contemporary than with theobjectof checking tho progress of our township. The tone of your valuable paper is usually very high. You always or nearly always think and speak for the public good. I aih, therefore all the more surprised* at your strictures upon : the proposal to start a gas company in this township. There is now close on two thousand of a population in Hastings, and I am absolutely certain that Napier never did have as many thousands of a population as we have hundreds. Another thing I wish to point out is the fact that the Napier Gas Company paid the shareholders from the first. They certainly did not receive much in the way of profits for the first few years, but that was because all the profits and all the calls were utilised in increasing tho efficiency of the plant, and in extending the Company's buildings, &c. Thus, what did not go into the shareholders' pockets was simply added on to tho Company's accumulated capital. Besides, no one will deny but that the Napier Company pays well now.—l am, &c, Pono Pat. Hastings, November 25, 1881.