THE GAS WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2126, 11 May 1920, Page 3

THE GAS WORKS.

APRIL .WORKING.. The amount of* gas manufactured a £ the local works for the month of April was 604,000 ft., which, with the amount in holder on April Ist, 15,000 ft, made a total of 510,000 ft. The*amount sold to consumers for lighting was 171,000 ft., for effoking and heating 18,100 ft, and for power 86,000 ft, 21,000 ft. was used in the works and manager’s house, and there .was 13,000 ft. in the holder on May Ist, leaving 47,200 ft., representing just under 10 per cent, of the output, unaccounted for. Forty-seven tons of coal was carbonised, yielding 10,740 ft per ton. MANAGER’S REPORT. “The amount of gas manufactured for the month of April slioavs a good increase as against the previous month. The plant is working satisfactorily with the exception of the purifyers, which cannot do the work so long as we get the present quality of coal. I am still getting a number of meters not registering. Part of the material has arrived for the re-building of the small bed of retorts. STREET LIGHTING. The Mayor moved that the report be adopted, and that street lighting be forthwith. He said the coal position was now much better. They had received a fairly good supply of Westport coal last month, a.nd he did not think there was any necessity for curtailing the sh’eet lighting any longer. The motion was carried. NEW PURIFYERS.

Cr. Coley asked if there was any chanee of getting the new purifycrs set in. They were urgently required. The works had been built for a. consumption of a quarter of a million feet per month, and they were now doing more than double tins quantity, with the result that (he consumers were getting very inferior gas. The Council should get to work and have the new purifycrs installed a! once. He moved, and Cr. Hunt seconded, that the new purifycrs be proceeded with, and that the present manager In* asked to commence same forthwith, and. if possible, to have the work completed before he leaves. The manager to lie empowered to employ labour required. The Mayor said he quite agreed that it was necessary to have the new purifycrs installed, hut as a loan for water and drainage was shortly to he placed before the ratepayers he- suggested leaving this mailer over until th.cn, and asking the ratepayers to sanction a loan for same, and Tor oilier requirements in connection with the works. It avus not fair to the ratepayers that work of (his kind should he paid for out of rates. Too much of this had .been done in the past. Cr. Golev suggested installing the purifycrs’.at once out of ordinary revenue, and then refunding same from loan when authorised.- If they did not do this it might be five years before the work was carried out. The Mayor said that some years ago a loan was authorised by the ratepayers for the gas works, Imt owing to the money not being obtainable at the rate of interest authorised in the loan proposal the money could "not he taken up. He quite recognised the necessity for new purifycrs, but considered it was wrong to pay for same out of rates.

The motion was carried, the Mayor alone voting against it. MANAGER'S ‘RESIGNATION.

The gas works manager, Mr N. C. Baildon, tendered his resignation, to take effect on July 3rd\

In moving that the resignation be accepted with regret, the Mayor said he looked on the resignation with a sense of personal loss, as their relations during the time Mr Baildon had been with the Council had been most cordial. The Mayor said Mr Baildon had been most obliging and helpful to him in every way, and he felt sure the Council would not get a bettor man. He said he had tried to get him to reconsider his decision, but without success.

Cr. Coley endorsed the Mayors remarks, and said he considered it was a bad job for the works that Mr Baildon was leaving. There had been less trouble at the works during his managership than any time previously.

It was decided that a suitable testimonial be , prepared and forwarded to Mr Baildon in due course.

It .was decided to invite applications for the position of manager, 111 a salary of £286 per annum. Applications to close on May 3.lst, and successful applicant to take up his duties on June 21st.