GAS AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32676, 4 August 1971, Page 18

GAS AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED

“I am confident that the gas industry in New, Zealand has a real future, but we must now look to the Government for a lead,” said Mr R. J. Calvert, of Dunedin, who was the chairman of a meeting in Christchurch yesterday of representatives of 15 mianufactured-gas undertakings.

He said the meeting to discuss the future of the manufacturers’ section of the industry, was unanimous on the form of the future organisation of the industry. It agreed that the industry had a future because of the economic case for manufactured gas in competition with other forms of energy, including electricity. (In July, 1970, the Gas Council retained the services of W. S. Atkins and

Partners, of Britain, to report on the future of the 15 manufactured-gas undertaker Calvert said the meeting decided to recommend to the New Zealand Gas Council that an authority be set up to deal with a number of matters which could best be handled on a central basis, such as marketing, the bulk purchase of feedstock, financing new plant and improving old reticulation systems. He said the Gas Council would meet in Wellington tomorrow to consider the consultant’s report and to make recommendations to the Government.

Other matters considered by the representatives in Christchurch yesterday included organisation, feedstock, marketing and the future growth of the industry, he said.