GAS TROUBLES.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 21, 17 October 1929, Page 12

GAS TROUBLES.

DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY

At a meeting of the Gas Board held last week the Gas Manager (Mr. H. Appleyard) presented the following report :—-

"With the carburetted gas plant working, we are having no difficulty in maintaining an ample supply of gas at present, but the board will have to make provision for further carbonising plant in the very near future.

'' Our daily average consumption of gas for July, the heaviest month of the year, was 329,000 cubic feet, and when we are able to give the increased pressure to the district, together with the added new consumers (an average of 40 per month), I feel safe in estimating that our daily output next winter'will be in the. vicinity" of 400,000 cubic feet.

"The plant that we have at present, coal carbonising and earburettjing, working. exclusively on native coals, will give us a maximum ■ yield per day of 370,000 cubic feet. This is, of course, with the whole of the. plant working,, and this is not economical, as certain of our retorts have to be off each day for cleaning purposes. Not only is our gas-making plant becoming inadequate, but also parts of our purifying and Avashing plant will also require to be dealt with, to tide us over for at least the next two years. ' ■ ■

"I should be very sorry indeed >to have a repetition of! our recent experience with regard to the gas supply when-- on several occasions the gas was

long- periods. \*

,The cliairman (Mr Lodder ) stated | -"that-"' ''pur troubles are over" for the present, but we^are not yet out of the wood by a long /way.' r He said that something would have to be decided upon, by. the board within the next month, ■for it was certain that the gas supply 1 'could' not be Kept up very much longer at the present rate of draw-off. The board would, either have to make temporary additions to the carbonisingplant, or else embark tipon some permanent method of manufacture. To decide upon this the boarcl would have to lmow from the ■ By-Products concern whether they were going to start or not. If the board did not get a definite re- ' ply, it would, have to cancel its • agreement with the company,,/and add to its permanent .manu^actuiing^ plant. If the company intended tb start the board would have to make temporary additions to the retorts, for it could not possibly meet the next winter without doing something. They had to decide whether the additions to the plant should be permanent or temporary. If By-Products started it would be bad policy to make permanent additions, as the board would be able to buy gas from the company for less than: it cost to manufacture it. In either case more expenditure would be necessary, and the board would have to decide whether it should raise another loan or take 'the risk of running on bank overdraft. Mr Lodder suggested that the boatd might invest in a low temperature carbonisation plant of its own.

Mr W. G. Meldrum suggested the duplication of the carbhiretted watier gas plan*. .

The cuairi.ai- * 'nought that the boaTd should, with; : % >- 'month, get definite word froi By Products, Ltd., as towhe-

thed thcv intended to start or not.

Mr E. Tf<Hogg, while agreeing that the board must take definite steps before next winter, thought that they should not ' ' put a pistol at the heads'' of By-Products^ Ltd. The board should consider the ultimate good to be obtained if the company started.

Mr V. E. Jacobson suggested that 'By-Products should be requested to give a reply, by 25th October. The board could then meet immediately, and decide what to do.

Mr W. T. Strand thought that arrangements might -be made whereby the company when it started operations would reimburse the board for its expenditure in carrying on in the meantime.

It was agreed by the board that the chairman negotiate with representatives of By-Product to ascertain something of a definite nature at the earliest possible jnoment.