The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, July 22, 1909. ADVANCE LEVIN!

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 464, 22 July 1909, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, July 22, 1909. ADVANCE LEVIN!

Yesterday will figure as a red letter day in the annals of Levin — our go - head neighbouring borough. The day mentioned marked the opening of the municipal gas works —an institution erected by the people for' the people. It only seems a few months ago since Levin was constituted a borough, and since then we know of no borough which has made such progress in its public institutions. It has left other much older boroughs far behind in the march ot progress. Why? Because it has at the head of its affairs men of initiative and enterprise—citizens who are optimistic of the future of their little town, and game enough to brave the obstacles. Their activity has caught on among the townspeople, and the maudling obstructionist and stick-in-the-mud has been frozen out. Loans totalling ,£33,000 have been sanctioned by the ratepayers for water and drainage, street improvements, and municipal gas works. The gas works loan was ,£10,000; a competent gas engineer was engaged and given a free hand, and he has carried out his duties to the eminent satisfaction of the Council and visiting gas experts. The works are erected on a two-acre site, centrally situated, and there is also a show-room for the display and sale of gas . fittings, stoves, etc. The borough is if miles square, and about seven miles of mains have been laid ; there are at present 100 consumers* and 14 gas cooking stoves have been installed, and 40 street lamps are provided. The cost of lighting is 9s per looolt net. Mayor Gardener stated that he was confident in 12 months’ time there would be 230 consumers. Provision had been made for the storage of ten million feet of gas ; —sufficient to meet all requirements for many years to come. ,£9OOO has been spent on the works, and as the first year's interest will come out ot loan, there will be sufficient earning power in the future to provide interest and sinking fund on the gas loan, without calling up one penny of the special rate. Foxton people can now see ■ what a blunder they made by allowing a private company to instal gas here. We congratulate the Levin Porough Council on the consummation of its lighting scheme, and wish them every success in the future.