GAS CHARGES AT SUMNER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25248, 29 July 1947, Page 3

GAS CHARGES AT SUMNER

SEVERAL INCREASES PROPOSED

BIGGER DEFICIT ON WORKS Proposals including an application for approval for an increase in the price of gas and coke to meet the deficit on the year’s working at the Sumner gasworks were adopted by the City Council last evening. The works committee reported that while the balance-sheet for the last financial year was not available, it was known that the loss was greater than that in 1945-46, which amounted to £1159. Economies which would reduce the by £1250 included proposals not to have the works continuously attended by stokers, to apply for permission to increase the price of gas from 9s 2d (reducible to 8s 4d) per 1000 feet to 10s (reducible to 9s 2d), to apply for permission to increase the price of coke from 2s 3d to 3s a bag, to charge a minimum fee of 2s 6d a month to churches, sports bodies etc., for meter rent or minimum charge, to increase the minimum charge in other cases from 2s 6d to 3s 6d a month, and to add a penalty of 2d in the Is on minimum charges unpaid by a certain date. New gas services have in the past been installed free of charge to the boundary from the main, and the council adopted a suggestion that the whole cost of connexion be charged to the consumer.

“The unfortunate financial position as compared* with the past is due to the price of the products remaining the same while the following additional costs had to be met:—capital charges, wages to stokers, meter readers, and labours and costs due to previous costs being shared with the electrical’ department,” reported the committee.

“I would like to know how long this 2s 3d a bag coke has been going on,” said Cr. M. E. Lyons. Cr. W. P. Glue: Too long. The coke had been available only to Sumner residents, who took along bags as big as wool packs.