THE PROPOSED NEW GAS WORKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4786, 25 July 1876, Page 2

THE PROPOSED NEW GAS WORKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —We have read with some interest Mr. J. R. George’s letter in your issue of this day’s date, and in response to his invitation will be prepared to discuss with him or any one else, through the public Press of this city, the whole question of gas manufacture. We regret Mr. George has laid himself open to attack on so many points, but as he has opened the ball he must stand the result. He challenges the statements in the draft prospectus issued by us, and states that as the works under his control cost £16,900 our estimate must be wrong. Well, we will take an estimate specially prepared for us by Mr. George Bower, gas engineer and contractor, of St. Hoots, Huntingdonshire, England, (an engineer whose gas works are famous all over the world), as to the cost of lighting the city of Wellington with fifteen million feet of gas. Mr. Bower's estimate was as follows : 35 retorts; 1 condenser; 8 tanks, 21ft. x 12ft.; 2 scrubbers, Bft. Bin. x 12ft.; 1 exhauster, 5000 per hour; 4 purifiers, Sft. x Sft.; 1 station meter, 5000 per hour; 1 gasholder, 70ft. x 20ft,, to contain 77,000 ft.; 1 station governor, 10in.; extra firebrick, fireclay, etc., for setting retorts. Total cost, free on board at London £4053 0 0 Allowance for freight, landing, charges and distribution 500 0 0 Surplus allowed hy t is in making up the estimate 2897 0 0 7450 0 0 Erection of works .. .. £2160 Buildings and land.. .. 2000 £4150 We have an actual offer to do all this for .. .. .. 3000 0 0 Surplus allowed i>p its in making up the estimate 1150 0 0 £II,OOO 0 0 We now challenge Mr. George to publish item for item how he makes up his £10,900,

for we have no hesitation in saying that if fbiWellington Gas Companypaidthat amount they have paid fully 50 per cent, more than-they had any right to pay. We cannot believe for a moment that the directors of the company can have been so careless of its interests, and we challenge the proof in detail of Mr. George's statement. Mr, George’s information about the price of gas pipes in London is apparently very hazy.. He says they are “about £7 per ton.” The last price current received gives the price as £5 17s. 6d. per ton, with iron going down. There is, however, no doubt, as Mr. George states, “that if the works of the Wellington Gas Company had been laid out to a larger scale at first they would have cost less.” This unfortunate fact only shows the necessity practical men dealing with such matters. Mains, syphons, valves, &c., we estimate at £3807, and meters and services at £IOOO. The whole of these we can supply fully £SOO under the price given. Mr. George states the Wellington Gas Company’s mains cost £6735. We have no doubt of it whatever; and if the company has to put down another four miles of mains we have no doubt that they will cost another £6735 also. It may be some slight source of satisfaction to Mr. George to know that we do not propose to lay onr mains like those of the Wellington Gas Company, as our draft prospectus states we propose carrying out the works and services on the new and economical principles now obtaining in large centres of population elsewhere. When Mr. George has learnt -these principles it is quite within the bounds of possibility that he may be enabled to lay four miles of mains for £3867, instead of £6735. Mr. George states that the actual consumption in 1875 was under 13,000,000 ft. Will Mr. George state what the consumption in the year of grace 1876 is ? It is the present and the future we are dealing with, not the past. Will Mr. George be also good enough to say why, when he started his works in 1870, with,, as he says, a plant capable of producing 15.000. he has had to put down two new holders, and yet only supplied between 12.000. and 13,000.000 ft. last year. We are, however, glad that Mr. George admits one item, viz., that the expenditure at the works of the Wellington Gas Company is in about the same proportion as we estimate. He, however, thinks coal costs more than 3 ss. per ton. We will supply Mr. George at 355. He also thinks that £SOO to pay office salarie rates, printing, and sundries, is absurd. No doubt it is to Mr. George. We may say, however, that it is not the intention of the Empire Gas Consumers’ Company to have a surplus staff. There will be no fancy manager. Our foreman will be able to erect our works, make our gas, lay our services, and put a decent statement before our shareholders as to quantities of coal carbonised, lime used, and net cost per thousand of gas manufactured. Our secretary will be able to keep our books himself, make out our accounts himself, and generally exercise courtesy and kindly feeling to all our customers. Does Mr. George recollect the interview between Hamlet and his mother, when Hamlet asked her, “ Look here, upon this picture and on this.” So much for what Mr. George deems the- “ unreliability ”of our draft prospectus. The concern is not yet fairly the public. It will be in a few days. In the meantime, we cam say this ; that the whole of the estimates have been worked out by those practically conversant with everything connected with gas manufacture ; that they are prepared to endorse their opinions as to the accuracy of their figures by that best of all tests, doing the work for the money named. We may say that we have long suffered from the action of the Wellington Gas Company; but having now put “our hands to the plough,” we are determined that with the help of the citizens of Wellington we will not stay till we have broken up a monopoly, and given the people of tliis city the great blessing of cheap light.—We are, &c., The Promoters, Empire Gas Consumers’ Company. Wellington, July 24. TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, — I too have had the prospectus of the new gas company placed before me, but without following Mr. J. B. George as to the re- • liability of the estimates, I am afraid it is the production of some one anxious to obtain a billet as secretary or manager. To whom are the shillings ou application to be paid ? What bank has authority to give receipts ? Who are the promoters ? Let them face the public, and perhaps they may obtain the support of those who, like myself, consider we are over-charged by the present company. (A Consumer.