MASTERTON GASWORKS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8160, 14 June 1906, Page 6

MASTERTON GASWORKS.

ANNUAL REPORT. The following annual report in connection with the Masterton Gasworks was submitted to the meeting of the Masterton Borough Council last evening:— His Worship, The* Mayor of Masterton, Dear Sir, — I have the honour to present herewith a statement showing the transactions of the Gasworks for the finanoial year ended on the 31st March, last: Gross Profit.—By this you will see that after reducing.the prioe of uas by 5d per thousand feet from the Ist of August, the works have returned a gross profit of £1,986 8s for the year. Gas Manufactured.— The amount of gas manufactured for this period, 14,008,800 oubic feet, shows an increase of about 2>£ million cubic feet, or 21 per cent, over the amount manufactured in the preceding year. Retort House.—As you are aware, during the previous year a retort house was built and two arches erected for regenerative settings. Iu one of these arches a setting of retorts has been in use since December, 1904, but owing to short delivery of material by the contractors, the other settiag has only been completed during the ourreut year. Old House.—For this reason two settings, in th<» old house, were used last winter in addition to the above, thus leaving the second new setting for this winter's work. This of oourse, militated considerably against the amount of gas and coke produced per ton ot coal carbonized as will be seen by the atttaobed return?. Net* Purifiers.—The new purifiers ordered from Messrs O. and W. Walker, of Douningtoo, were landed early in the year. Their erection, was however, delayed owing to the fact that several of the plates were broken in transit, to replace which some had to be recast, and others patched, oostingsome £3O for repairs. The total cost of the same fixed was £517 9s 9d, and an amount of £IOO 2s 5d was spent on 8 inch mains, etc, for yard alterations. Against this latter amount the sum of £37 9s 6d was credited in London for goods overcharged by Gibbons Bros, on their contract of the previous year. The advantage of the extra boxes sinoe their ereotion has proved very great and the cost of purification charges has been materially reduced by their use. 1 am still of opinion that the old purifiers should be removed from their present house to a site adjacent to the new ones, and kept there for use as a means of removing any excess of sulphur compounds if found necessary at any time Sulphur Compounds.—From the beginning of the present year the London Metropolitan Companies have been exempted from compulsion in removing sulphur compounds from gas supplied, but it must be understood that much greater care is taken in purchase of coal used at homo than is the praotice in tho colony. There is good coal in this colony, but part of lust winter the oomplaints from the gasworks geuwrally of the excess of sulphur in the coal were somewhat marked. ' So much so was it here, that I have, since putting the new boxes in action, used two old boxes for removing it. The boxes, are not however, in their proper sequence for this wqrk as they are conneoted at present, and it is for this reason I advise their alteration. The idea ot selling them does not commend itself to me unless you caD get a decent price for them, in which case you would be wise to add further boxes to the present ones which are constructed to allow of this being done. In last year's report I mentioned that a tar and liquor pump was required, and an additional scrubber—the former is included in the loan proposal, and it is advisable that either a sorubber or another washer be got so as to take out a lot of the sulphureted hydrogen at present passed on to the purifiers. If this is done the cost of purification, whioh in the past has been high. s may be very considerably reduced. Illuminating Power, —It is also interesting to note that a still farther reduction has been allowed in nominating power, the standard demand being now only 13 candle power for the London companies. In this matter, sinoe the invention of the incandeceeut burner by Professor Auer Von Welsbach the trend has beoa general to lower illuminating power which with a reasonably good pressure, gives n bitter light than the old system of high illuminating power and low pressure, but of course attention has to be paid to see that the calorifiio power ia not allowed to fall too low. Holder Room.—During last winter one of the chief difficulties was holder accommodation for gas on Saturday nights, and on one occasion the stock vavailable was reduced to 700 ft or less than ten minutes supply of gas for the town. Tho need of extra holder room has been apparent for some time and I am pleased the Council have adopted my, suggestion to provide for the same by a new holder, As the N-o. 1 holder is in very good condition, I am of opinion that the money provided (£2,300) is ample to provido a holder sufficient for many years' requirements. The Nb. 2 holder is not iu such good repair, but with a little attention to the roof of the same will be available for many years yet. Coal Storage.—Temporary provision for coal storage for ibis winter has been provided by lengthening the old shed, as the question of permanent storage involved the use of tho old retort house and probably the exhauster room, none of whioh were available at the time. Main Extension.— During the past year a 4inoh main was laid in Pine Street from Timothy Street to Villa Street, and about 4 chains along Villa Sreet. A 4inch main was also laid along Renall Street from Queen Street to Chapel Street and along Chapel Street about four chains to the Olubj a connection was also provided across Chapel Street to the Upper Plain road. The main on the Opaki Road from Te Ore Ore road to Third Street whioh was bare in many places waa lifted and re-laid entirely on the one side

of the road and at a moon greater depth. Alteration of Mains.—ln view of the Council working a road roller in the near future it will be necessary to lift many of the existing mains and sink them for their own protection. In Queen Street South, near Riggs' there is a 4inoh main sunk only 4inohes below the surface of the road, whilst ii the same street near the Empire Hotel a 3inch main has in some parts onl> 14 inch cover. In Perry Street a 3incb main passeß along the Council Chambers side of the road, and ends with a 2inob pipe on the opposite side at Pine Street. Further up a 3inoh main runs along the centre of the same street from Villa Street to George Street, and then reaches the water table near Cullen's shop. The only oouise to adopt to avoid complications in the future is to remove all these mains into the centre of the footpaths as soon as possible. r: Year's Transactions.—The year's transactions are such as to fully warrant the Counoil in again reducing the priue of gas to consumers. During the last four years or more we have been enabled to already lower the price from 9s 2d to 7s lid for lighting purposes, and from 7s 6d to 6s 3d for other purposes, and the bulk of this has been done* prior to the installation of improved plant. Now that the works are equipped with up-to-date settings and other plant gas and coke should be produced at less cost than hitherto, and reduction in the prioe of gas may well follow. Cookers and Heaters.—This, with the adoption of cookers, should lead to a large increase in the output of gas. I cannot leave this part of the report without a few words as to the setting of oookers and heaters. In the past and at present persons building almost invariably neglect to make any provision for housing of these conveniences. The result is that afterwards they are often installed on the inside walls of kitchens und dining rooms, and in most oases without flue pipes, and •the result is that all the products of combustion are thrown off in the room and are anything but agreeable. It is singular that no one attempts the same course with an ordinary fire. Coke and Tar. —You will notice in the attached returns that coke sales this year reached 7*l nwt. per ton of coal carbonized. This is hardly latisfactory, but is 1 accounted for by the use of twj direoii fired benches, which consumed a large amount of fuel. Now that the only fires in use are the , jro'lTi"'er ovens, coke sales should figure out at 8 to 9 cwt. per ton of coal. In the same manner tar returns rose from 10 to over 11 gallons per ton, but this may not be lasting.

Gas Make.—The make of gas per ton varied largely, running from 13,100 feet when using only the regenerative settings, to 20,544 when running with the direct fired benches ae well. This could have been for a part of the year by using the second new benob, but I was of the opinion that advisable to conserve it for this year's work and although we lost in make of gas by joing so the plant is in better value at the end of the year, by not firing it until this year. Cost of Gas to Holder.-—I attaob herewith a return of cost of gas delivered Into holder for the last three years, from which you will see that a very considerable reduction was made, but I anticipate a still further reduotiou will follow this year. Gas Unaccounted For—During the past year the unaccounted for gas has been reduced to 5.9 per cent,, being the lowest on record so far as lam aware. 1 believe this haa been achieved mainly by the installing of wet meters in place of deficient dry ones, a course whioh needs following as there still remain a number of old unreliable dry meters in use. Management—On the 2nd April of this year Mr Blackman assumed the management of the works . 1 have handed over to him the stook books, ledgers and aoeounts, as well as the plant connected therewith. Mr Blackman has since verified the stocks and plant on hand and is satisfied with the valuation and state of the same. In terminating my management of the works I have to thank the Council for the support they have given me since taking charge of the works, and more i especially for having adopted and carried out my suegeotions for remodelling the works, which will, I am sure, be the means of largely reducing the cost of production. 1 have also to thank the Works and Office staff for their co-operation and assistance during my term of office. I have the honour to be, yours faithfully, DOUGLAS DOBSON, Engineer. MASTEKTON GASWORKS. WORKING ACCOUNT, 12 months ending 31st March, 1906. Receipts. Sales by meters* £4,566 19 6 Street lamps 200 0 0 Residuals 648 1 10 Fittings 434 10 2 Coal 37 18 0 Extensions and services 53 12 8 Miscellaneous 3 18 0 Rent of house] 31 12 0 Rent meters 19 19 6 £5,996 11 8 Expenditure. Salaries, including printing and advertising £282 17 4 Manufacture 2,489 6 1 Maintenance 108 8 ID Distribution, inoluding services [363 4 2 Stoves and fittings 733 13 0 Meters 189 10 2 Repiduals 62 13 3 Coal shed 34 6 5 Miscellaneous 11 3 11 £4,275 3 2 Cash profit £1,721 8 6 £5996 11 8 STATEMENT OF STOOK, 31st March, 1906. Stook in band, fittings and stoves £405 19 7 Oast iron pipes and fittings 148 4 9 Black iron pipes and fittings 53 18 6 Brass pipes and fittings 36 17 3 Coal, 171 }£ tons 255 5 3 Tar 6,000 gallons, and Coke 5 tons 116 2 3 £1,016 7 7 1904-1905. Stook in hand, fittingß and stoves £172 11 9 Cast iron pipes and fittings 157 12 6 Black iron pipes and fittings 29 5 6 Brass pipes and fittings 31 13 2 Coal 500 0 0 Coke 40 0 0 £931 2 11 Excess of stook over previous year £BS 4 8 EXPENDITURE ON PLANT, Etc., During year ending 31st March, 1906 Extension of mains £358 1 11 New purifiers and plant 561 18 2 £920 0 1 ASSETS at 31sfc March, 1906. Gas accounts due for March 1906 361 6 1 Arrears 16 13 8 Residuals and fittings, accounts due 190 2 6 , £568 2 3 Previous Year. Gas accounts 31st March, 1905 £326 0 8 Arrears 21 14 0 Residuals and fittings 80 8 11 £428 3 7 Excess for 1905-6 £139 18 8 LIABILITIES. Outstanding accounts 31st Marob, 1906 £212 5 11 Outstanding accounts 31st Marob, 1905 252 2 1 Deduction for 1905-6 £39 16 2 STATEMENT OF SINKING FUND ACCOUNT. At credit of Gasworks Aocount 31st March, 1906. On £IO,OOO Loan , £1,054 13 3 On £2,500 Load 76 1 11 £1,130 15 2 STATEMENT OF PROFIT AND LOSS. Profit by year's' cash transactions £1,721 8 6 Excess of stook over previous year 85 4 8 Excess of accounts due over previous year 139 18 8 Liabilities less than previous year 39 16 2 Excess profit £1,986 8 0

STATEMENT OP COST OF GAS INTO HOLDEE.

CARBONISING STATEMENT. > From 31et December, 1904, to Ist [ January, 1905 using regenera- ! tire setting only, 63% tons Westport slack coal produced 831,090 ou bio feet gaa, or 13,100 cubic feet per ton. From the 31st December to 31st March, 1905, using same bench, 221 tons of similar coal produced 2,753,600 oubio feet, or 12,159 cubic feet per ton. From 3lßt Debember, 1904, to 31st March, 1905, using one regenerative setting, and during part of the time two direct fired settings, 1,547 tons of coal (90 per cent Westport slack coal. 10 per cent. Pelawmain unscreened) produced 16,762,400 cubic feet gas, or 10,835 oubio feet per ton.

1903-4 1904-5. 1905-6 Manufacture .. Maintenance .. Share of Salaries, Expert's Eeport Coal Shed £ s d 2151 1 2 329 2 9 100 0 9 71 16 0 £ 8 2597 8 220 5 100 0 d 5 9 0 £ 8 d 2500 10 0 108 8 10 100 0 0 34 6 5 Less Sale* of Eesiduals £2652 0 8 509 18 9 £2917 14 493 0 2 0 ! £2743 5 3 685 19 10 £2142 1 11 £2424 14 2 2057 5 5 Amount of Gas Made Net Cost of Gas into Holder 10,248,000 e, ft. 4/2 per 1000 c. ft. 11,521,000 c. ft. 4/4 per 1000 c. ft. j 14,008,800 c. ft. 2/11 per 1000 c.fi