SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1878.] THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1894. THE GAS REPORT

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4753, 21 June 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1878.] THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1894. THE GAS REPORT

Much public money—thousands of pounds—has been wasted over the Mastcrton gas works, but the sum expended on the report of Mr H, Birch, published in our last issue, has certainly been profitably invested, The burgesses now are officially informed of a .condition of nffairs which unofficially has boon tolerably familiar to them for some considerable time. We learn at last from nn authoritative source that tho retorts are in such a bad state that one of thorn is practically useless, and that this is the result of impropor management; that tho gas supplied to consumers is foul, add that this is caused by neglect and the ace'umulationjof dirt. Mr Birch r cites overwhelming ovidonco in support of his statements, and wo do not suppose that a more damaging i report on any gas works in°the world was ever presented to a public body. _ Tho condition of the works is evidently no temporary ailment, but a chronic disease from which the town has, for a long i period suffered a considerable annual loss, No wonder a special gas rate has had to be levied on the burgesses, and on the whole wo think it is only fair that they should have paid a penalty of this kind, Time after time we havo urged upon thorn tho expediency of returning good l business men to the' Council, but they have been quite indifferent on this point, and we believe that if an election took place to-morrows footballer, if he caino forward as a candidate, would beat . the best business man in the community, Under these circunista,nces it is only fair that the burgesses should pay the piper, and it is evident from the \ report of Mi- Birch that the piper's \ bill is likely to.grpw,. It is perhaps] a sign of grace that when the report ! of Mr Birch was presented, to ,tlie i Council, not one of the'city fathers , sought openly, to extenuate or deny i thochargcswhichitvirtuallybrought ' against them and we have nonvish | to unduly reHeet on them at a time ( when they have discharged a long ! delayed duty. It is, however, right \ that we should'remind, burgesses I that they have beonitq blame in this l matter and that if Masterfon is to J prosper in the future they, mustrely more than thoy have done in the '„ past oh 1 the business men of thetowh.' p Wo do not wish to infer- that there o are no business men in theprtsont * Council,,for )ve regard ° ([ himself as a h there' is some.. ti 1 amongst Con'ncilloiVbu£ the report ti of Mr,Birokiß,,;Conclusivo evidence j tietiis Mw&jjfr pi it.'■::■>';, ; ; j

DnlLHalKto the Towri ; Lands Trust hasboen arranged to' thesatisfaction , weiy more than surprised tb.hlr that so far 'there ; i|bnt aimallphahceof; the transfwitionjbeing cbhcludedr learn $M°$ a H%% ,that the defence I Minister' refuse's his consent and I that the Trustees of the building, • Major Donald. Donald and Mr W. H. Beotbani have never been approached on the subject. All this Beems-veiy extraordinary, and we trastitcanbesatisfactorilyexplained, see the transfer effected.'. Themistake made appears to have been in the Town Lands Trust considering a, proposal at an immatui'e stage. Before it was ripe to como under their notice it was submitted as a definite offor, and even boforo it camo up for discussion tho offer to tho Trust was somewhat injudiciouslymade public. In this instance the old proverb of " The more haste; ; the'less speed " appears to have been verifiod.