MUNICIPAL COAL DEPOT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 838, 12 May 1910, Page 3

MUNICIPAL COAL DEPOT.

TO BK ESTABLISHED IN FOXTON. At Monday night’s Council meeting Cr Robinson brought forward a motion, of which he had given notice of his intention to move at the previous meeting, that the Council establish a Municipal Coal Depot in Foxton. Cr Stewart seconded the resolution.

In speaking to the motion Cr Robinson said he was not quite clear whether the Municipal Corporations Act, gave the Council power to establish a municipal coal depot, but he would like the matter to be dealt with at once, and even if his motion were carried and it was afterwards found that the Council did not have the power to carry out the resolution the matter could be dropped. He had two reasons for bringing the motion forward. Firstly to give consumers coal at a reduced price to what they were at present paying, and secondly, that by starting a municipal depot, consumers could rely on beiug able to obtain coal at any time. In regard to the second reason, there was no necessity for him to enlarge on it as all the councillors were well aware that for some time past it was impossible to obtain coal in Foxton, other than by the sack, and this was a very expensive method of purchasing it. He was quite satisfied that by the establishment of a municipal depot, coal could be supplied at a lower price than was at present being paid for it. He had written to the Minister of Mines in reference to a supply of coal, and had received advice that the State mines could supply the Foxton Council with up to 400 tons of screened coal per mouth, at 25s per ton c.i.f. Foxton, payments for same to be made on the 20th of the mouth following purchase. Unscreened coal would cost 3s 6d per ton less than screened. He estimated that the Council could deliver screened coal to the consumers houses at 30s fid per ton. The cost would be made up as follows: Price of coal £1 ss, wharfage is, weighing fid, carting to yard and trimming is fid, carting to consumer is fid, interest etc. is, total 30s fid. Unscreened coal could be delivered at 27s per ton. He estimated the cost of erecting a shed in the borough yard for the storage of coal at £7s and a weighbridge at ,£25, and, allowing for say ,£IOO worth of coal to be in the yard on the 20th of the month would make a total outlay of £2OO. He had allowed is per ton to provide interest etc. on this amount, which, if only 30 tons per month were sold would provide 9 per cent, on £2OO. That is allowing 5 per cent, for interest and one per cent, sinking fund would leave a further three per cent, for incidental expenses. Cr Speirs opposed the motion and said that no provision was made for rent of yard. He could not see how one shilling per ton was going to pay all expenses of the yard,and further. Cr Robinson had made provision for oulv 30 tons per month. He certainly would like to see the price of coal reduced, but he did not think that it would be a good move to establish a municipal depot. Cr Coley said he failed to see how they could do without a yardman. Cr Gibbs referring to the present price of coal said he did not see that the Council had anything to gain in this respect by the establishment of a Municipal depot. He could now supply coal (washed nuts) at the ship side at 19s fid per ton and screened and unscreened coal could be obtained at a proportionately higher price. Screened Puponga cost 29s per ton or 4s more than screened State. He would certainly oppose the motion. Cr Rimmer said that if coal could be supplied cheaper from a municipal depot it would be a great advantage to ratepayers, and

the proposal therefore had his support, Cr Robinson in replying to Cr Speirs’ statement that an output of only 30 ton per ton per month had been provided for said that he had based his calculations on the small amount in order that it might not be said that he was over-estimating the amount that would be sold. In any case if say 60 tons were sold per month it would only be necessary to make a charge of sixpence per ton to provide interest, etc. In reference to Cr Gibbs statement in regard to the price of Puponga coal he contended that there was no comparison between the quality of that coal and State coal.

The motion on being put to the meeting was carried. Crs. Robinson, Stewart, Adams, Levett and Rimmer supporting, it and the Mayor and Crs. Speirs, Coley and Gibbs voting against it.