THE PRICE OF GAS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 221, 8 September 1876, Page 2

THE PRICE OF GAS.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.' Sir— Will you allow me to correct a slight error in my last? In calculation of cost interest is set down at 10s 8d instead of 10s, the mistake having been caused by a misquotation at the Council office of the amount bearing interest. With your permission I will add a few words more on the subject, first remarking that the question at issue is not whether j those who can afford a luxury shall be helped to obtain one, but whether or not an extra effort shall be made to prevent our rates, so badly wanted for expenditure on works affecting our health and comfort, being spent in making good a loss on an unprofitable manufacturing business. Not that I mean to say that by the use of gas for cooking this end would be immediately attained, but that there would be a gradual tendency towards it. As the warm weather comes on the " boiling stove," costing but a few shillings, would find its way into many a home on the line of main, it would be found to save the necessity for lighting a fire except occasionally, the cost would prove not a great deal in advance of that of wood or coal, friends would see and approve, they would be advised to get the larger sizes, and so the use would grow, and gasworks receipts would swell, and from a small beginning great results might flow. Instead of this being a matter benefiting only the wealthy, as some would have us think, my observation in England leads me to believe that cooking by gas confers the greater boon upon that class in which the poor man's wife is included— those to whom every labor saved is a blessing. I regret to see that the motion tor consideration in Council to-night names 10s lOd as the price to be instead of 10s, believing that any advance upon the latter figure would rather tend to hinder the object sought to be attained— but there is yet time to carry an amendment. Some of your readers may have compared Mr Pickering's figures with my rough estimate of cost, and have noticed an apparent discrepancy, to such I would explain that my calculations were based upon the consumption during the first six months of this year which was at the rate of 3,000,000 feet a year, whilst his figures show only the results during two winter months. With this explanation it will be seen that actual results are even more unfavorable than my calculations, but, bad as it is in the present situation, ratepayers may be congratulated upon the fact that it looks less gloomy than it did a year ago. Then it was impossible for the works, as they were, ever to pay expenses and interest; now the extended works can be made to produce sufficient for profitable operation and only a doubled or trebled consumption is required. I regret that neither Mr Pickering nor myself have been able to make the subject sufficiently clear to the "Ratepayer" who mentioned my name in this morning's Times, or to his brother •' Citizen," and if they or any others will do me the favor to call upon me I will endearor to show them that what I '

propose shall _,be sold afe\ios: : does not cost pver \£l. % Scch toj explanation as needed frouidV Jbe fto. lengthy, for? a newspaper 'l fe?ter£ but l vtfll endeavocbrieflyto sumup the I matter; thus^Af ter jiuppjyjng tt\l the requirefpeQte.Qfcthe'ii|tj;Xo8 s; illunjinating'gas,.^ is. , 'easy fb'r the works to produce vaii 'article ' which we will call " Carburetted Hydrogen fuel," for which there is a demand, (good and cheap fuel always finds a ready sale) at a price considerably in excess of the additional.coat of. its production, .but because this to Be "gas," objectors to the redaction wisti- to charge a prohibitory. price ard by so doing close the inlet to a considerable revenue. -^,- ., lam, &c, - W. C. Wilkinb. .Tr" " ' '" \<] *- : _-■-