The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, October 21, 1909. MUNICIPAL GAS WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 497, 21 October 1909, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, October 21, 1909. MUNICIPAL GAS WORKS.

Eltham is going in for coal gas, but it is not going to allow any private concern to exploit the business. Monday’s Argus says : “The position of Foxton in regard to the gasworks shows what might have happened here had Eltham ratepayers not decided upon keeping the matter of public lighting in their own hands. ’ ’ Eltham has acted wisely in not following Foxton’s short-sighted policy. Foxton is not the only borough which is regretting such action. It would be better for any municipality to wait any length of time and suffer defeat on loan proposals for the erection of gas works until the burgesses become enlightened on the subject rather than hand over the right to private individuals.

Thk Greytown Borough Council are about to submit a proposal to the ratepayers for a loan of ,£5,500 for the erection of coal gas works. The local authority has gone carefully into the subject, an expert has submitted the details and approximate cost, so that the burgesses will know exactly what they are voting for. In view oi the negotiations now pending for the purchase of the local works from the proprietary, the Greytown figures are interesting. The total cost is made up as follow

The foregoing figures prove that with a sale of million cubic feet per annum, a gas works would pay interest and sinking fund at the rate of 6 per cent on a capital of and, as the output increased, the margin of profit would, of course, be rapidly increasing. Ratio.—An average consumption of 1,250 cubic feet per month by 100 consumers would be equal to the output of 1 million per annum. The cost of coal gas shown in the Greytown estimate is considerably in excess of what it costs to land coal in Foxton. In Greytown the coal has to come via Wellington, thence by expensive haulage over the Rimutaka ranges, whereas all that excessive freight is saved here. To put it in a nutshell—if Greytown can produce gas for lighting purposes at 9s 2d per 1000 ft, Foxton’s charge should not exceed 7s 6d.

£ s. Manufacturing plant 2,500 10 Retort-house buildings (brick) 500 0 Manager’s cottage (wood) 35° 0 Mains (about four miles) t ,355 0 Meters and service connections 300 0 tramps:—(Arcs) with incandescent burners - Si automatic lighters 25 at £5 126 0 Site for works xoo 0 5,230 0 Contingencies 261 10 Gross Total £5.491 10 A pro forma balance sheet is also published as under Receipts. Cr.— £ s. 750,000 c.f- gas, at 9s 2d 343 15 750,000 c.f. gas, at 6s 8d 250 0 25 tons coke, at 25s 31 O 1,500 gallpns tar, at 4d per gallon 25 0 25 lamps, at £5 125 0 £775 0 Expendituie. Dr — £ s. 150 tons coal (22s 6d) 165 0 Wages 175 0 Purification 25 0 Sundries and contingencies 50 0 4°5 0 Interest and sinking fund at 6% on £5,500 330 0 735 0 Balance 40 0 £775 0