The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1888. Masterton Gas in '85.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3000, 11 September 1888, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1888. Masterton Gas in 'BS.

A few unreasonable ratepayers, indeedquiteanumberof'theincapables," are a little soro just now in having to pay a gas rate, Tho'men who use gas each time that their consumption is measured up and figured out, give a groan at tho cost ef this precious product, but when in addition they «p called upon to pay a gas rate to provide interest on loan, their dissatisfaction becomes audible, and strong expressions are heard from the lips of those who have to pay twice over for their supply. Even those who don't use tjas at all, and these are the bulk of the burgesses, are discontented and ask why should they, who content themselves with kerosene, pay for gas which they don't use and which they won't use. In a. spirit of humble enquiry we turn back to the records of 'BS in order to trace clearly the source from which we have derived this special affliction, a gas rate, In 1881 the Municipal Council of Mastorton decided practically that it would be well for the.ratepayers to leave gas making in the hinds of a private company. Undoubtedly the manufacture of gas would have been so left, but a howl of indignation was at once raised at the idea of the town being robbed of the enormous profits to be obtained by making gas, the customary requisitions were got up in the customary manner, the usual speeches were made, and the voice of the, people (there were thirty-five of them counted) said "We will have gas, three cheers for Mr Eenall, three cheers for Mr Hogg, and groans for the Councillors who don't want to make it, If we recall the sentiments expressed, at the gas meetings held in the early part of J. 8.85, we do so more in sorrow than ia anger. Wo havo paid the gas rate for the current year, we have accepted the inevitable,' apd we do not wish to mourn ovor past mistakes, but the people should be shown that they have only themselves.to. thank for the trouble in which they find themselves, and learn that ultimately when they do a decidedly foolish act, they havo to pay for it put of their own packets, At present' the popular favorite in Masterton is Mr A. W. Eenall. We esteem him for bis many genial qualities, but we cannot say we admire him as a Municipal prophet, In' 85 Mr Eenall told the pepplp some very plain facts, about gas. Wopajl tjjom facts because they were accepted as such by his Jprers, and virtually his statements carried the gas Jpa|), Jf° declared then that the people were In favor of startiu? the gas "works, and of course if this was the case the people havo now only themselves to thank for the privilege of paying a big gasrato. There were, however, somethings he said at that time which might possibly havo misled the people, for example he'stated that "a loan for gas would assuredly be reproductive." Possibly Mr Eonall himself might now feel disposed.-.to qualify .this statement. Again hp pjn.tained of artafr rfttpiiayffs loan would involve jnareasM'%atp it)a.s ridicuj/oiis," We mightask the people now ; was tjio fear expressed then quit? so asMr Eenall would havejt to be i "In those '.days there ps.np holding Mr HJ'enall on jlie gjs question, he .even w.ent so faros to say ; '' gas woyM. 9?J only be payable hit profitable," Has it bleen payable jl Has it been, profitable J iet J the people say 1 Mr..Eenall was not the only, speaker at tho .1885 meetings,.

apparently in his apeech: Btated that: faitlij aMftigti!' 1885 read by the ljgbttof anIBBB gas rate is rather awkward to explain, In the editorial columns of our contemporary of the year 1885 we were" told that "tk .manufacture of gas was always payable," and that a loan for gas would '.add to ■ the value of .the Borough property witkut extracting a penny fioni ;th'e ratepayers, The people hung breathless oft the lips of Messrs Eenall. and Hogg. They thought they had.;p gold mine in gas, and nothing would dispel the illusion. In tain Mr; Caselberg, Uhe then Mayor, who in business affairs generally was deemed a shrewd man, hut on thegasquestion wasjudged tobewho unreliable pointed ont that many schemes could ho managed better b~y private than by public enterprise. Our old friend, Mr Woodrpofe, very nearly hit the mark -'by.'aayim? that the, " Gas works ,wouH cost £IO,OOO, and not more than Ai or 20 houses would use it." This latter statement was received.with roars of laughter, and shrieks of derision, but if Mr Woodroofe had spoken in 1888, instead of 1885, he could not have got mnoh nearer to the truth, In 1885, the pnblio:would have nothing hut what Mesks Eenall and Hogg chose to tell them, and we are not wry Bure that they are much wiser now. They should be a Jittlo less .foolish now with the : facts before them which we have related. These facts demonstrate that over the Gas business, the, ratepayers have been misled, undoubtedly misled, by their well-meaning friend, Mr Eenall, and now they will be invited to allow themselves to be misled again; not this time,on the Gas question, but on the water supply project. If in 1885 the people, instead of allowing themselves to be swayed at publio meetings by oratorical fireworks, had listened to sensible advice of practical business men like Mr Caselberg, they would not now be saddled with a Gas rate, Perhaps three years hence, in 1891, wa shall make another retrospect, and show the people how by listening to the voice of the charmer in 1885, they saddled themselves ,vith a rate to provide interest on a water loan.