THE GAS QUESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 2807, 15 February 1872, Page 2

THE GAS QUESTION.

The gas agitation, after two years continuance, received its quietus for a lengthened time last evening, when there was a full meeting of the City Council to consider Mr Larnach’s proposition, the heads of which the Mayor communicated to the public meeting at the Masonic Hall the night before, The business commenced by The Mayor statiug that in consequence of a suggestion made by Councillor Bathos h® had waited upon Mr Larnach, as agent for Mr Hankey, to enquire if that gentleman had any objection to meeting the gas committee of the Council, to see if he could, in justice to himself and his client, agree to terms which would avoid the necessity of the Council rushing into the extreme of sacrilising his client’s interests. Mr Larnach agreed to the proposition, and suggested that the gas committee should visit the works and inspect the improvements being made. Accordingly he (the Mayor) called the members of the gas committee together, and at two o’clock on Tuesday afternoon they visited the works, and afterwards had an interview with Mr Larnach, the results of which were embodied in the report of the lighting committee. The report recommended the acceptance of Mr Larnach’s offer to supply private consumers at 12s 6d a thousand, and light the city lamps at LB. Mr Ramsay had great pleasure in moving the adoption of the report. He thought tho thanks of the Council were due to the gas committee, for the time and attention they had devoted to the matter, and thought the ratepayers would be greatly satisfied with the arrangement come to, by which a saving in public lighting alone of LGOO a year was effected. Mr Barnes observed that not only were the ratepayc s beuefitted. but private consumers would save from L2OOO to L3OOO a year. He hoped that in the new agreement it would be stipulated that the light supplied should be of equal brilliancy to that now supPl The Mayor explained that he had spoken to Mr Laniach on that subject; and he was agreeable that the terms of the last agreement should be embodied in the new one. Mr Larnach suggested that the fin -s should he made lighter; and if that were conceded he would rave no objection to lighting up the Post Office clock or the Cargill Monument, as the Council—free of cost, Mr Barnes thought the fines should be reduced in a corresponding degree to the reduced price of gas. The Mayor said it was a matter of detail, and could be dead with by the lighting committee iu framing the new agreement. Before the matter was disposed of, he should like to make a few remarks. The report met with his entire approbation. He thought the arrangement come to was the most satisfactory one, which could be arrived at by the Council. The Council had conserved the interests of the public, as regarded the public lamps; and had conserved the principle that the gas works should be ju the hands of the Corporation, because

after the lapse of a certain time the Council could, if they pleased, purchase them at a valuation. Nothing could be fairer, and he thought most of the citizens who had taken an interest in the matter would be satisfied. As one who had taken a very great interest in the gis agitation since its commencement two and a half years ago, he felt perfectly satisfied ; he had never asked for more ; neither did the late Council, a member of which was present. Having then succeeded, he thought the Council could congratulate themselves on having achieved a great triumph. Two aud a-half years a»o, when he first commenced the gas agitation, the City was paying L 4,200 a year for the street lamps ; aud private consumers L9OOO. Now the public lighting was reduced to L‘2,200 a year, and the private lighting to L 4,500 ; making a total saving of L 6,500 a year. The gentlemen who rook part in the gas a;itation had therefore something to be proud of. The saving effected was one of the benefits of what soma people were inclined to deprecate—an agitation. The report was then adopted nem. con.