MARTON GAS WORKS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8718, 18 January 1907, Page 2

MARTON GAS WORKS.

Mr Smithies' Report. At Marton Borough Council meeting last evening, Mr Smithies reported on his visit to Marton Gas Works in conncctiou with the question of additions to existing plant and mains, the staff employed on the service and the gasfitting and stove trade as carried on at the works. He advised as follows- —I find that during the 13 mouths ending 30th November last, gas manufactured was 3,086,200 cubic feet, and that in December, 1906, the gas manufactured was about 30 per cent more than the same period in the previous year. In-* deed each month of 1906 showed a ver-j large increase oyer the 'correspondln| month in previous year. lam of thg opinion that the present retort power can safely be counted upon to carbonise two tons per 24 hours, and that nq present additions arp necessary. (J’hp storage room at present has a capacity of 11,000 cubic feet which in times of pressure, such as a winter (Saturday night, perhaps preceded by a dark afternoon, is insufficient to ensure safe wo; king. The question of size of additional holder most suited to the cir. cumstanccs is a difficult one to judge. The question is really governed by one’s faith, or want of faith, in the future growth of the town, and it is very desirable in all small works to keep the capital expenditure down to the lowest safe figure consistent with economical working. I am of .ins opinion that if the ‘holder capacityTS Drought up to 25.0Q0 ’feet, it will sc'ryp for Uie nest ten, years. I, therefore' recommend an additional single lift

„ holder 40 feet diameter by 14 feet in |C] depth. Tho cost of this with its tank u fitted and erected in position complete i will be about £9lO. There is need also I for a catch purifier which will epabffi I the two now in use to ’be worked to. I better advantage. This I estimate 1 fitted in position complete will eosf £95. -I havo requested Mr Whin cop to furujsh me with pressure tests taken at certain points in the street mains at ■ about S p.m. on Saturday night. When

i this reaches me, I will furnish a supi- plemcntary report on the question of mains. The working manager, salary £136 and house, etc.; one man, service layer, gasfitter, and assists in yard, 8s j one youth, fires in daytime, and assists service laying, 30s ; one youth, fires at night time, and attends street lamps, t 30s. It appears to mo that one of t&dsQ youths might bo dispensed with, by? a 1 little rearrangement of duties of the outdoor man, he devoting his mornings 1 to matters within the works and after-

j noons to matters outside tlie | The manager’himself might attend to ; such gas-making as is necessary in tlip i diftihie. lam asked to state whether i in'uiy opinion the sale of gasfittings, ! hookers, etc., and the doing of ga§- | fitting work as at present carried op i$ a payable business and whether or npf j it should be continued. My answer is j emphatically yes. I have examined a statement compiled by the Town Clerk 1 covering the past four years. The ! receipts as per balance-sheet to March, I 1906, were £3,089 16s sd. The exl penditure for the same period as per ' Town Clerk's summary was £2,311 3s f lid. To bo added to the receipts, accounts due to the Council £ll2'lßs 9d and stocks £l7l. I am informed

that there were no accounts payable by the Council at time of balancing, Thus by those figures the operations taken as a separate item returned a profit of £9O spread over the four years!' 1 do not think the Council should look for any profit from gasfitlings and cookers. ■ J make bold to say that were it not toi the fact that the Conned placed wi'thid the reach of its intending customers facilities in the ws.y of obtaining *Sui£ able modern appliances, the ‘present output of gas would not hayo weep two-third* of what it now is. The Council ought, I think, to bs to find (as I find) that ip Mar ton one only spo? up-W-4* l4 * in some other towns in the colonyinuch bigger than Marton one can see things, very much otherwise. 1 know that it is quite impossible to assess at its cash value the influence of the skill and experience of a good gat&ter, a#

. Mr has shown himself to be, on a gas-works business. I. may mention whilst on this question of gas--I'fittings that such, important works as Auckland, Napier. Christchurch, Wellington and Palmerston have found it necessary to the life and progress of their respective undertakings, to continuously keep and exhibit for the information of their customers, samples of modern invention as relating to their business as sellers of gas. True, there is one instance in which such work has been abandoned in the South Island, the place in question has been notorious as the worst managed works in New Zealand for many years past. I cannot too strongly urge upon you to continue the good work inaugurated by Mr Whincop, taking ail due care that stocks kept are not t,o heavy. Ido not consider the present stock too heavy, and I think it is assessed at a fair value by MrWbincop,