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Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1942, Page 4

VALUE IGNORED

THE GAS INDUSTRY

WARTIME IMPORTANCE

"In the near future the Government may find itself in an awkward plight through its inability to meet the increasing demands for power, heat and light," said Mr. V. J. Earner, chairman of directors, at the annual meeting of the Auckland Gas Company to-dr.y. "This situation, should it arise, might easily have been minimised by the Government adopting a generous policy in regard to the gas industry."

The gas industry had been rightlyclassed as "essential," Mr. Earner said. When the company's employees had been called up to the armed forces it had exercised restraint in lodging appeals.

The manufacture and supply of gas was a public service, operated under statutory powers. This prodr.ct was indispensable for both industrial and domestic purposes. The company, in his opinion, should be treated as regards taxation in the

same manner as its competitors, the electric power boards, that is to say, gas companies should be placed in a separate category as were public service undertakings, and freed from direct taxation. Concessions enjoyed by gas companies in other parts of tne Empire had been denied them.

"The relief we sought by reorganising our share capital was crushed by retrospective legislation," he added. "Our numerous petitions to the Government to install pas in Government houses have been disregarded and the tenants' wiAes ignored as to which fuel they should buy. Surely the public have an undeniable right- to choose for themselves whether they will use gas or electricity, or whether they will use both. To deny such a right is surely in direct conflict with democratic principles.

"Instead of being given favourable treatment as a public utilitv company with 600 employees on our pay roll, we have been treated as a concern whose interests stand for nought. With a little encouragement our mains and services could have been further extended, and this would have assisted power boards to avoid the unenviable risk they now run of being obliged to ration their electricity."