THE PRICE OF GAS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 219, 6 September 1876, Page 2

THE PRICE OF GAS.

To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.'

Sib,— Public attention having been directed to the above subject by the motion now belore the City Council, you will permit me, as one who has, given some little considera- ion to the matter to offer a few remarks upon it. Those who have interested themselves in the question are well aware that our gas has been and is still being produced at a loss to the ratepayers of a large sum yearly, and that this loss is the result of the hrge expenditure on original construction; therefore any action likely to increase or to reduce this loan, fhou'd be- regarded with interest by the ratepayers generally.

To make this loss as small ae possible, it is clearly a proper course ti adopt such measures as will ensure the sale of as large a quantity of gas it as high a price as possible, guarding against the error of making that price sufficiently high to cluck consumption. It will, I think, be generally admitted that for purposes of lighting, the present price (Ns 2d) is reasonable, that an advanced rate would unprofitably check consumption, and that a lower price would not secure a sufficiently increase 1 consumption to avoid a loss in conscquenve.

But there is another purpose to which gas may be put with profit to both makers ani useis, viz., domestic cookery,— but only on condition that it can be purchased at a price which will bring it into fair competition with other fuel, and without troubling you with figures in proof, I venture to assert that 10s P'.r 1000 ii as high a price as Kelson housekeepers, ai a rule, cau afford to p»y for the purpose.

I would meet the objection of those who consider it unfair to charge different prices for tbe same article by reminding them that the primary object of Gasworks is the --upp'y of " lieht," and that such works are n quired of sufficient capacity to provide for the wants of the longer wiuter evenings, and that in the summer a considerable portion of thtir power of production is not utilised, whilst the expenditure for interest, management, and kbor goes on aa usual, and it is in the summer that most gas is used in cooking, and that the extra cost of producing it is the cost of material only.

Upon a rough calculation the present cost of every 1000ft of gas may be divided thus • Materials used, including a trifle for maintenance of plant, about 5* 3 i; labor, management, &c, about 5s 3); interest oa capital about 10s 81 Total, £1 Is 2'. '

If then, by supplying gr.s for " heat » si 10s per 1000, a la'ge consumption can be a cured, and the sum of about 4* 9d out of the price of each thousand of the many sold for that use can be devoted to the reduction of the cost per 1000 of Interest and Labor &c, it is certainly desirable that Cr Pickering's motion should be carried.

This being done, let the housewives of Nelson be shown the gre-t comfort of the use of gas for c:okipg i5 by degrees it would become common, and with but a hundred of them using each on an average say 100 feet

a day for a gnol portion of the yeir, a handSome redaction wouM soon be made in the item«Lcßß,''and « Profit » would loom has dimly iq the future, which, when it was realised, and provision made (or a reserve tund, might be devoted to a reduction in the price for, "light.''-I am, &c, -■A T ', „ W. C. Wilkins. Nelson, Sept. 5, 1876.