THE GAS WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2289, 14 June 1921, Page 2

THE GAS WORKS.

APRIL WORKING

The amount of gas manufactured during the month of April was SVQO 900 ft., which, with the amount hi holder on April Ist, 15,000 ft., made a total of 564,900 ft. The amount of gas sold to consumers for lighting was 162,800 ft., for cooking 245,900 ft., power 58,700 ft., 27,400 ft. were used by street lamps, 24,000 ft. at the works and manager’s house, and there was 16,009 ft. in the holder on the Ist of May, leaving 534,800 ft., representing 5.4 per cent., unaccounted for. Fifty-two tons of coal was carbonised, yielding 10,575 e.ft. per ton. The earnings for the month totalled £338 6s sd, made up as follows:—Gas sales, lighting £ll2 6s Id, heat and power £144 16s 7d, coke sales £lB 13s Od, tar sales £3 18s od, fitting account £45 0s sd, services £7 7s lid, labour services 10s, labour fittings £1 16s 6d, miscellaneous £4 16s od, disinfectant Is 6d; total £338 6s sd. The expenditure for the month totalled £304 7s Bd, made up as follows : Coal used £124 11s Od, salaries, wages, labour £56 8s 7d, pipes services £l3 18s 6d, pipes mains 18s 4d, fittings £l7 Is lOd, tools £1 £lB 3d. plant £6 14s Od, repairs £lO 12s 6d, printing and advertising £1 2s 6d, engine repairs and oil £ll 4s 6d, freight, wharfage, and cartage 6s, interest and sinking fund £59 ll.s 8d; total, £304 7s Bd.

MANAGER’S REPORT

DISCUSSION BY COUNCILLORS

CR, MARTIN ASKS FOR INFOR-

MATION

The Gas Works Manager's report was as follows: —“The amount of gas registered by the station meter during the month of May was 568,800 e.ft., which is an increase of 11,300 e. ft. over the corresponding period of last year. Fifty-two tons of coal was carbonised, yielding 10,928 c. ft. per ton, and we sold 10 tons 13 cwt. of coke, representing £26 12s 6d. Five meters were changed, and this effected a saving of 10,100 e. ft., which, at a nett cost of 9s 7d per 1,000 c. ft., represents £4 6s lOd. 1 found six meters not registering this month, and one of these is a 20 It. The only one in stock is in Wellington, being repaired, so 1 ask that- we purchase a. new 20 It. meter, at a cost of £9. Six services have been cleared, and the 2in. main for Perreau’s building lias been laid, and the meters connected up. The public school has also been finished. As some person has been interfering with tilings in the stoke house and engine room, it. was necessary to put everything under lock and key. Owing to the 2in, main in Johnston Street being in the way of the sewerage pipe, it had to be shifted, and re-laid on the footpath. The sinking of the sand at the corner of the Avenue and Johnston Street caused the Bin. cast iron main to break. The fence at the back of the works has been shifted and painted, but there was not enough iron to complete it. A new lloat bad to be made for flic compensator, The pump had also been giving considerable trouble, and on investigation we found it to be worn out, so one was obtained from Mr Berry's mill, and is working satisfactorily. For some months now I have made repeated efforts to obtain a retort setter to put in the new setting of two retorts. A letter received from Mr Parker is enclosed. Three retorts which were carbonised this month were in a very bad state. The life of a retort is about 5 or 6 year.-, and the present two settings woj’king have been in use about ■! years. I would therefore recommend that a setting for five retorts be ordered, to take the place of the setting of four now working.”

Cr. Martin stated that he did not wish to east any reflection on the manager, but he thought it was a waste of money putting in new retorts in old settings. The condition of the whole plant was in a disgraceful state of delapidation. Also he would like to ask why the present staff could not cope with the work. Why there had been such a delay in connecting the gas fittings at the school, and why some residences in Whittaker Street could not be connected up. He considered the whole question of the gas works wanted investigating. There were repairs to the engine every week. lie also stated that he had seen hundreds of feet of gas going to waste at the works. He also referred to the poor quality of gas. Mr Kennedy, gas manager, in reply, stated he considered there should be five retorts instead of the four. One was at present out of order. As far as the wastage of gas was concerned, he stated that three retorts had been carbonised this month. He had mixed in a proportion of tar with Taupiri coal to carbonise the cement, hence the smoke Cr. Martin had seen. Cr. Coley stated that the statement about poor quality of gas was not. true. lie said that the gas hero is 15 to 20 per cent, better than in Palmerston North, and 75 per cent, better than in Wellington.

Cr. Bryant; said that he had had trouble with the gas until he got new pipes in. Since then everything had been quite all right. At one joint itj the old pipes it was scarcely possible to push a hat pin through the hole.

Cr. Martin moved that the Gas Works Committee supply to the Co-