Correspondence.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2962, 28 July 1888, Page 2

Correspondence.

-.gas.; :■ v : (To the Euitoy).; '■■■■■ ..:•• would be interestiiig to learu froiii the Gas Committee, of-'tlie; M astevtou : lioi'pugh X Couucii ;! how many miles of mains aro laying:, use. 'less. It appears ■ froin wliat ,1 can gather,; that. ;but,very few .'private; houses are lighted with Gas, From inquiries 1 have madoj;} I/understand that iu Cole Street twenty-four chains of.'main pipes are laid, and only one house has gas laid. on. Again, ; Victoria Street lias over, a quarter of a mile ot pipes to supply two houses; Lincoln Eoad contains one gas consumer, and there are upwards of thirty chains of mains laid, and in' Dixon Street one dwelling is supplied with Gas for a twenty-five chain length of piping. Now there must be something radically wrong in this. Supposing tho gas supply to bo in tho hands of a private Company, would such a state of things prevail? How is it then that the Gas Committee does not conduct its works on business principles ? The reason to my mind is simply this, They have no pecuniary interest in the concern, would a private company sit down aud bo content to work at a loss? No; the Directory would immediately set to work to find out a remedy. They would do their best to get every private house as well as business placo. supplied with gas; they would lay tho pipes free of cost to consumers; send a canvasser round to induce people to use gas instead of dangerous and dirty oil, and then supply them with the article at aprico that would pay them to use it.. Asa gas consumer I don't mind paying for what I use in the house, and perhaps a trifle for the convenience afforded by the street lamps; but as a ratepayer I do most decidedly object to being mulcted in heavy-sums annually to make up the deficiency caused by tho apathy and want of ability on the part of the Gas Committee to make their supply cover cost of manufacture and interest on outlay. I should bo glad, Mr Editor, if some abler and less patient taxpayer would take this question up. I am, etc., S.A.G.