The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, August 12, 1909. STREET FIGHTING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 466, 12 August 1909, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, August 12, 1909. STREET FIGHTING.

At Monday night’s Borough Council meeting, complaint was made by certain councillors that the Gas Proprietary were not.carrying out the street lighting according to the terms of agreement. Beyond a resolution being passed calling the proprietary’s attention to the fact nothing further was done. If the ratepayers bargained with the concessionaries for so much street lighting, then they are entitled to every pen’orth of it. and it is the duty of the Council to see that the terms of the agreement in this respect are faithfully carried out. This is not the only indication of a cheeseparing policy adopted by the company. They’re out to make as much boodle as they can, as quick as they can and, to a certain extent, one can’t blame them so long as they keep within bounds. The price consumers are paying for gas however, should return a handsome dividend on capital invested without dodging street lighting. One councillor remarked that when he complained of the way in which street lighting was being carried out to an employee of the proprietary, the latter said he was “acting under instructions.’’ The school of experience demands a high fee and ratepayers who preferred to part with their lighting to a private concern, instead of shouldering it themselves, wall be sufficiently educated on the subof “ municipal v. private lighting ” by the time an opportunity is afforded, to acquire the works.