THE GAS QUESTION.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1959, 16 August 1869, Page 2

THE GAS QUESTION.

To the Editor of the Evening Star, Sir,—lnasmuch as your morning contemporary has of late afforded his readers a quantum suffic'd of matter on spiritual manifestations and “gas manifest'-a,” it seems to me that, with your large City circulation, you are entitled to afford space for a few comments upo i the latter subject—o ie iu avhich every thousand of your subscribers fe 1 a personal interest. The most obtuse intellect will admit the axiomatic truth that stubborn facts brought to bear upon any subject are w rth sheets of argumentative or scientific matter, only understood by “hydrocarbouists; ” particularly if laid before a prejud ced Town Council, who may have unfortunately committed itself again t Gospel truths, that interfere with a pet hobby “Corporate Gas Works” a hobby which each member of Council has got astride of; a Pegasus which is daily running away with a large per centage of their previous characters as shrewd business me - chants, of integrity and ability, each in his private affairs; and ultimately will sink thousands of the City revenue which should be expended on City works of greater utility, contributing to sanitary improvement.

Fact No, I—which the European mail just arrived, has brought out, namely—-“ That the Corporation of Dundee hare, during the past year, expended upwards of L 30,000 of the unfortunate rate payers’ taxes” upon exactly similar, but fruitless attempts to establish works in opposition to the estabI i shed ‘ ‘ Dundee Gas Company,” and for which misfeasance they have called down upon themselves the reprobation of public opinion, coupled with a universal desire, uttered loud and deep by their constituency, for immediate resignation of the trust placed in their hands. Fact No. 2, —“ That the Corporation of Glasgow have this session a Bill before the Imperial Parliament, empowering them—with the sanction of the two existing gas companies —to purchase the present works ; but the Government before sanctioning such a measure has, with a wise precaution, seen fit to insert a clause limiting the maximum price of gas chargeable against the private con-timer to 4s 7>l per 1000 cubic fee . Now, sir, the inference which I desire to draw is that taking the Glasgow price as a standard, it will be evident to the meanest capacity that gas of equal quality and pressure cannot be produced in Dunedin to afford the capitalist a reasonable profit, under say four times the amount, i.e., 18s 4d, or quality being less, say Iss. The Glasgow works, as we all know, are situate almost at the pit mouth ; the Boghead cannel co tl being the finest gas pro.lucing mineral known to science, affording 50 per cent, moreof gasper ton than any other known coal; besides every description of labor connected with gas production is one-fourth the amount it is here—all other matters being equally low. The most material item contributing towards reduction in cost being the great and regular consumption of gas in Glasgow, where it is calculated not by the thou-and, but by the hundred of mil dons of cubic feet, for a population numbering upwards of four hundred thousand, against little Dunedin—situated at England’s antipodes—with its ten thousand inhabitants, of whom only three hundred are gas consumers. Another element which increases the cost here is the difference of the value of money. In England money can be had for 3 to 4 per cent. —here 8 to to 10 for the erection of works ; and the amount of dividend looked for by shareholders is at least 12 to 15 per cent. Fact No. 3 —The small gas works lately constructed in the coal village of Newcastle, New .South Wales—of which Mr A. K. Smith is less e—cast LIS,OOO ; at the same ratio, Dunedin would cost L 54,000. —I am, sir, Facts Nos. 1, 2, and 3. (with more to fellow.) Dunedin, 14th August, 1869.)