THE GAS QUESTION.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2674, 12 September 1871, Page 3

THE GAS QUESTION.

Last evening a meeting convened by the Mayor, iu compliance with a requisition aim'd by about 215 ratepayers, was held at e i„ht o’clock at the Masonic Hall to take into consideration “the existing evil caused to the citizens by the monopoly of the gas bein' T in the bands of private individuals, to the 'elefcrimont of private and public con sumers." The Mayor haying read the requisition and the notice calling the meeting, was unanimously elected chairman. i . • Mr Walters moved the first resolution, as follows:—" That the present monopoly of the supply of gas to the City of Dunedin, without statutory protection to the consumers in regard to the regulation of price, efficiency, and purity _ of supply, is detrimental to the public interest Ho considered it unnecessary to say much about the gas question, as it was so well understood by most present The promise made by Mr Larnach to reduce the price ot aas to 15s a thousand to private individuals was liberal; but would it not be certain that if the Corporation got the works into their hands, they would supply it at that price too?—(“No.”)—Yes, they would; and if the Corporation had possession of the works and laid aside a sum as sinking fund, m forty years the Gas Works would be their own ; but if they continued to act on the pres nt system, at the end of forty years they would be in the same position as now without Gas Works. Every citizen would be a shareholder in them if they were City property, and would participate m the profit which would accrue if 15s a thousand were charged. (Mr Walter read an extract from the report of Mr A. K. .Smith, to prove that gas could be manufactured at 7s a thousand, and thus that a sinking fund might beset aside and a good margin of profit left, which would no far better than leaving the matter in private hands as the consumption was increasing, and it was being used in private bouses. If the Corporation had the work in their hands, he did not hesitate to say they would encourage its introduction into them. The resolution was seconded by Mr V\ inBarnes considered it quite time for the citizens to rouse themselves to let other people know they were alive to their own interests. As to tho manner in which the streets were lighted they had only to look at George street and King street. It would take tbroe lamps to burn tbe quantity of gas the Corporation was paying for one. It was very well for Mr Larnach to butter the inhabitants of Dunedin by stating the in tention to reduce the price when he was forced to do so, but the inhabitants of Dunedin should have their own gas and water works, and though some people said the Corporation could not work them for so little as a private company, he said they could. They had nine or_ ton daymen, let them come an hour earlier in a morning, give them each a shilling a-day more, and let it be expected of each that he should keep a district of the town clean, and see to lightin" and putting nub the gas. If the lighting were properly managed it would bo better in the hands of a corporation than of a comMoss moved an amendment to the effect, that as Mr Laniach had promised to reduce the price to 15s a thousand at the end of tbe year, no further action should he taken in the matter. On looking round the platform, he saw several gentlemen with i cBolntions to be proposed, but after the kind and gentlemanly manner in which the Citizens' had been mot by Mr Larnach, lie thought it time that the meeting should refuse to take further action. He did not say this on account of any personal interest in the matter, but for the general benefit of the citizens. New gas works would cost L 25.000 to L 30.000, which would be burdening the City with taxation. Mr A. K. Smith”had reported that the old works wore qf no use, so that it aypuld b e necessary to puild now work 3 or take the old ones. \V h-ib was wanted wa's cheap gas, and the Corporation could not sell it at less than las a a thousand. With due respect to the Ghawpian, though it might come home to him, the resolutions were written out by him; but he (Mr Moss) was satisfled that tbe’ meeting would ho content with the promise made by Mr Larnach He saw him for the first time on Saturday, as one of a deputation of six or seven gentlemen who waited upon him on the subject, and although he never spoke to him before, from bis manner and what he said bo felt convinced that bis promise would be kept. (A voice :—What about the City lamps ?) They would no doubt come under the same rate. If they had confidence in the nine gentlemen who formed the Corporation, they should be instructed to say to the lessees, you must reduce or wo will have our own gasworks. (Cheers.) Ho was prepared to say he would reduce it. M ith regard to Auckland, there was no charge for lighterage on coals and other advantages, so that 15s in Dunedin would be equivalent to 11s in Auckland. Mr Laniach, iu order to remedy the had gas had scut home for an engineer, who had arrived by the Otago. He was chosen from some hundreds who applied, and orders for mains had been spot homo through Messrs A, T, Jlurfct for L'-'bOP Worth, Mr Walter, explained the terms convening the nn eting. Mr 1 iiosser considered thanks were due to the Mayor for the course ho had taken. Notwithstanding the lessees of the Gas Works had received large amounts of money from public and private consumers for carryin" out the works, it was desirable to- take into consideration whether it was advisaole for the Corporation to take‘ the lighting of the town into their hands, either by purchase of the plant of the j»rer.eis Company, w building tEw vkoikji. Tie wgs not-, air advocate 'fop opposing private companies, and now was the time to purchase the Gas VV orks bv auction. The works were to he sold next m/ Wh, and if purchased by the present

holders, it would be with a view to a large profit. They had, therefore, to consider whether the supply was equally abundant now as it would be in the hands of the 'Corporation. (Mr Prosser read a statement of the (his Company in Auckland, 'when the last dividend was stated to have been 15 per cent., besides 10 per cent, to the reserve fund ; and in the larger population of Dunedin gas would, pc more cheaply supplied ) Mr ForiEi., who was in the body of the Hall, said something, but we could not hear a word. The resolution was carried with only one dissentient. . . Mr Prosser then proposed, “That it is expedient the supply of gas to the City of Dunedin he undertaken by the Corporation.” Mr Moody seconded the proposition. Mr Nathan considered it strange that that those who swore by Mr A. K. Smith's report, which cou'lcnincd the present buildings and plant as useless, should now be foremost in advocating the purchase of

them. , , _ , . , The Chairman ruled the .Speaker out of order for alluding to what had taken place at the meetings of the Corporation. Mr. Nathan considered the meeting should he allowed to discuss the question. A deputation waited upon Mr Larnach to ask him whether he was willing to reduce the price of gas, and from the manner in ’which he met thorn they ought to be content and not pass a resolution authorising the Corporation to purchase those useless works to supply the citizens with gis. It must he remembered that Mr Smith estimated the cost of new works at L 20,00(), but LG,Old or L7,()00 must be added to that, and eighteen months or two years would elapse befere they could bcbuilt, and if competition «rew up between Mr Hankey and the Corporation, the purpose of building the works would not ho secured as there would be no profit. He thought the meeting would simply negative the resolution. Mr Isaacs fully endorsed both the resolutions. At 15s per thousand for gas there would he a large prolit. In Manchester it cost Si 6d, and there were L1(>,00() prolit at the end of the year. Mr S. Hutcheson being called, said his lea.son for being present was to Ik a- what fresh reasons could he brought forward iu favor of buying the Gas \Vorks. If the meeting imagined they were going to get enormous profit', they were mistaken. There was a fair proli , and if the Corporation could get hold of the Gas Works it would be advantageous. As to the works-btiin-,r of no use, it would hardly be supposed that he should risk his professional reputation by building works th.v. were useleta. They must not accept what Mr A. K. Smith B>,i las gospel. It was not an opportune time to buy. It would be necessary to lay out three to four thousand pounds, and they had better let Mr Hankey purchase 'he works, make tbe necessary repairs, and then buy on a fair valuation. The Chairman said tbe requisition to him to call the meeting was signed by 215 citizens, and he felt it Ills duty to call the mce.tiug. So far as the price of gas was concerned, at 12s lid a thousand, the consumers would not have had any reason to grumble, and it might suit the Victualler's Association to accept the terms, but if the Corporation had Gas "Works, it would be a gain. He thought it impolitic for thc'Corporation to compete with a private company, and it would therefore he advisable to buy the plant, even if a little extra wore given for it. After a few words from Mr Prosser, and an attempt to speak by Mr B: adlc, the resolution was put and passed wm. con. The next resolution was proposed by Mr Brown and seconded by Mr Walter: a Committee, consisting of Messrs Barker, Hay, Walter, Lowrie, Watson, and the Mover, be now formed, for toe purpose of preparing a petition to the City Council, and getting the same signed by the citizens, prayin" that the Council give immediate effect to the foregoing resolutions, in such manner as in their wisdom they may deem lit.” NORTH DUNEDIN CEMETERY, The Chairman introduced the question of the North 'Dunedin Cemetery, apd briefly told the history oi what had been dime. Ho showed that iu con equence of the crowded state of the old cemetery, fresh ground had, two years ago, been sought for, and .the Corporation decided upon the site at the North Dunedin Town licit. It was opposed at a public meeting and then an increased area war fenced in at the Southern Cemetery. It was found, however, that ground was bad and likely to slip, and therefore an attempt was made to purchase, but nothing eligible flEfciph and filially the Corporation had to faT back upon ibis site. Application was made for a Bill to the General Assembly, in order to be able to give to purchasers a legal title to the ground purchased ; bvfl (a consequence of Mr Ecynola Ivugng pointed out the Bill was a pvi' v alo o.n'c, and tbe requisite notice pot having been given, it was Shelved for the session. The Superintendent had endeavored to carry it and recqiY S qv;udod a p tition to the Houso, Drayjug thftt technical objections might bp waved and the Bill allowed tq pass. A resolution adopting the petition was moved by Mr Eamsay and seconded by Mv Prosser. The petition was adopted aqd numerously signed by those nnyjqvvi.