THE GAS WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2027, 11 September 1919, Page 3

THE GAS WORKS.

Dealing with the gasworks account for the year ended March 31st last, at Monday night’s Council meeting, the Mayor said that the total receipts Tor that period were '£2,808 13s Od, and the stock in hand on Mandi 31st amounted to £1,430 Is 3d, making a total of £4,298 14s 3d. The expenditure, exclusive of capital account, totalled £2,410 11s Od, and the stock in hand at the commencement of the year was £1,177 11s Od; interest on the loan totalled £495, and sinking fund £221, making the total expenditure £4,313 Is Od, or a loss of £l4 7s 9d. If bank charges and interest on overdraft caused through the gasworks account being behind were taken into consideration, it increased the actual loss on the working of the gasworks for the twelve months to £Ol 5s Od. Whop it was taken into consideration that the works were very much over capitalised he thought the result was fairly satisfactory. He did not think it would be advisable to further increase the price of gas under the circumstances. .

Cr. Walker thought an effort should be .made to make the works, selfsupporting. Cr. Coley said he Avould be in favour of increasing the price of gas. At the present time ratepayers had to pay a gas rate, and non-ratepay-ers had no rate to pay, but the same charge was made to both for gas used. The price of gas should be increased.

Gr. Thompson said that during the past feAV years he had heard a lot of talk about making the gasworks pay, but that happy position had not been arrived at yet. He ngrc.cd Avith the remarks of Cr. Coley, ami certainly thought consumers should be called upon to pay for the conveniences they received. There Avere a large number of ratepayers outside the reticulated ' area avlio wore called upon to pay the gas rate and were unable to get the conveniences of a gas service. The Mayor said he was opposed to raising the price of gas at: the present time. At a later stage in the evening it was decided, on the motion of Crs. Walker and Thompson, that it be a recommendation to the Gas Works Committee to consider means Avhereby (he works will be made self-sup-porting.