THE NELSON GAS-WORKS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1901, 19 September 1874, Page 3

THE NELSON GAS-WORKS.

Consumers of gas in Nelson are informed that the Provincial Executive, in whose hands the local gas-works are al present, have decided to reduce the price to 13s 6d per thousand feet, or to 123 6d per thousand feet, if paid within seven days from the firat of each month. At a recent meeting of the City Council, the Mayor, Mr Hooper, laid on the table a statement regarding the cost of the -works. It showed, he said, a loss ot L 152 6s on seven months' work. He had no doubt that the gas-works were mismanaged. The Nelaon gasometer would scarcely hold enough gas to light the city for a week, and yet the works cost more than any other. The price charged for gas at Grey mouth was 16s ; at Wellington, 14s ; at Auckland, 12a Gd ; and at

Canterbury, 14s ; so that if the price in Nelson was lowered to 14s it would be as low as in any place except Anckland. He had made a few calculations to show the mismanagement he had spoken of. According to the statement furnished by the Provincial Government the amount received for gas from Ist January to 30th June, 1874, was Lsll 10s Bd, which was equal to about 639,000 cubic feet of gas at 16s per thousand. The amount paid for coal during that period was L 293 Is 6d, which was equal to about 162 tons of coal at 33s per ton— the contract price. 163 tons of Greymouth coal, according to information in his possession, ought to produce 1,467,009 cubic feet of gas, at the rate of 9000 ft to one ton of coal. They could account for 639,000 ft of gas, but there was no less than 828,000 ft still to be accounted for. The amount of money which was still owed by consumers had not been shown in the statement of the Government, and perhaps when they had that they would be able to see "what had become of the remaining gas. He had received from three gas companies a statement showing the amount of gas made by each from a ton of coal. No. 1 company made from 7600 ft to. 9000 ft; No. 2 company, 10,000 ft to 11,000 ft; and No. 3 company, 8000 ft. According to the Nelson manager's report, the working expenses for twelve months were estimated at L 563, but the Government statement made the amount L 374 for the seven months, thus leaving only LI 88 for the remainder of the year. He had complained particularly to the Government of the item of LSO for labor in one month. He concluded by saying that two or three men were quite sufficient to do the work of such a place as Nelson. In Christchurch the returns were fully LSOOO a year, and yet only one man, at L 3 per week, was employed to collect the money and do the work. The manager, Mr Mir fin, in a statement to the Provincial Secretay, says : — The falling off is not the result of mismanagement but the high price charged, and limited number of consumers, over which the manager has no control. I would also j beg to inform the Mayor that the working expenses of the Nelson Gasworks, salaries, and wages, are less than any other works in the Colony. The yearly working expenses of Hokitika works are L 101 8; Greymouth, L 76 8; Thames (Auckland), L 70 2; Christchurch, L 1236 ; Hobart Town, L 2732 ; Launceston, L 1644 ; Nelson, L 562. The above are the actual amounts paid for wages, management, and collecting. Hokitika, Greymouth, and the Thames works are about the same as Nelson ; the others are about double the size.