The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, June 7, 1910. THE LOCAL GAS WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 849, 7 June 1910, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, June 7, 1910. THE LOCAL GAS WORKS.

It is no use crying over spilt milk, but it becomes more apparent every day that Foxton ratepayers made a huge blunder in giving a concession for lighting to a private concern. This paper did its best when the lighting was first mooted to warn the people against parting with the right to supply its own lighting. The cry was subsequently raised : “let a private concern make the experiment, and we will safeguard our interests byladding a proviso to the concession, making it possible for us to purchase the works as a going concern at stated periods.” The trustees of the ratepayers will find, when the time comes to purchase the works at any of the stated periods, that they will be faced with difficulties and a price that will astound them. Eook what has happened at Hamilton, and Feilding Pahiatua also threw its chance away, and is now chewing the rag and talking of an opposition lighting scheme. Recently the local Council were offered an opportunity to buy the works out as a going concern, but it was thought that the price put upon the works by the proprietary was too high,, and it was decided to let the matter stand over till the first optional period came round. The purchasing figure then was £9,500. The Council did not prosecute the matter further, and in this respect they erred. Why did the Council not make an offer? We do not hold a brief for the proprietary —on the contrary —but we say now, at the eleventh hour, the Council would be acting in the best interests of the ratepayers if they made a straight-out offer for the works betore the first period falls due. We have reasons for making thisl suggestion which we are not at liberty to disclose. We hope some Councillor will take the matter up at next Council meeting.