GAS AT THE HUTT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 6

GAS AT THE HUTT.

—$ A LIVELY MEETING. NEGATIVE RESOLUTION CARRIED. An enthusiastic meeting of ratepayers was the result of the Borough Council's invitation to discuss tho much vexed gas question at the Lower Hutt last night. The Town Hall was packed from stage to doors. On tho motion of tho Mayor (Mr. T. A. Petcrkin), Mr. Orton Stevens was voted to tho chair. Mr. Petcrkin defended the action of tho council in tho mattor, and submitted a statement of facts leading up to tho present position, detailing the various steps taken by tho -borough council in their negotiations with tho I'etono Borough Council. Councillor Baldwin was tho next speaker, and, in a lengthy address, ho urged that the council had dono the right thing. As to tho'raising of tho money, tha council would havo to ask for a loan, not ouly for the work, but for reticulation of somo incompleted portions. It was proposed to borrow the sum from the district fund, and thus avoid tho necessity of raising two loans. Councillor Ward, referring to tho alleged illegality of the council's proposed action, said tho loan of £14,000 was legally raised, and it was not necessary to consult the ratepayers on this occasion, when it was proposed to utilise the unexpended portions. The speakers at last week's meeting, ho said, were simply misleading tho public, and he accused the Petone people of juggling with figures, as proved by their amended offer. Tho speaker gave reasons to show that Captain M'Donald's loan was intended for gasworks. At the time, the latter was opposed to an agreement with Petone. The Chairman: Any questions?' Voices: Let's hear Rossi (Laughter and applause.) Councillor Ross said that some of the Mayor's statements wore lacking in sense. Councillor Baldwin had said that it would bo possiblo to work with two stokers, instead of three, as at Petone. Was it proposed to make the working hours ten por day and, ho asked, bank tho fires for two hours? Voice: Ten hours would do him a lot of good. (Laughter.) The Lyttelton gasworks, continued the speaker, had been quoted, but ho had information from the Lyttelton town clerk, showing that the expenses of turning out tho same quantity of gas cost double the money estimated here. The sum of £150 per annum should bo added to the estimate for tho salary of the necessary stoker. A Voice: Sweating. Tho manager at Lyttelton, ho mentioned, was paid £300 per annum and given a free house, but the cost of management hero was sot down at £50. Tho sum should be at least £200 a year. Tho sura of £50 a year had also to bo added for the proposed railway siding. Altogether £650 would havo to bo added to the council's estimate, and tho prospective profit was £330 only. In face of this, ho asked, would it pay to go in for local works ? •' . Voices: No I There was a cry of "Timet" but by acclamation tho speaker was allowed to continue. Councillor Ross remarked that the councillors who criticised a previous council were now proposing to add several thousands to tho overdraft. Councillor Ward (heatedly): Allow me to say that you are tolling a fib. (Laughter.) Mr. 11. Birch, manager of the Wellington Gas Works, said that ho camo before them unbiased, and lie would answer questions. It would be far better, he thought, to amalgamate tho boroughs. It must be realised that to make extensions further loans would be required, and they could not be made out of profits. To got an expensive manager would be throwing monoy away, and an intelligent stokor could do tho work. What was required was supervision such as the borough engineer could adequately give. Seeing that the council was dovided on the subject, it would be advisable to go to the ratepayers and let them decide. Voices: That's tho trouble. Wo can't got it. Captain M'Donald (to Mr. Birch): Do you think that Is. Hid. per 1000 foot is sufficient for the purposes of distribution? Mr. Birch: I have tho figures officially from tho Hutt Borough: . ' Captain M'Donald: You do not endorse them ? Mr. Birch: No. Replying to a questioner, Mr. Birch said that tho modern gas works woro not so offensive in odour as formerly. Tho works at Courtenay Place wero not objectionable, and they did not affect tho valuo of adjacent land. ■ A Voice: If Hutt and Petone amalgamated, would you advocate having two small works or ono large one ? Mr.-Birch: One large one. (Hoar, hear.) Up to a certain point, said Mr. Birch, it would be cheaper to havo the gas from one works than from two. Mr. G. London asked Mr. Birch to give figures in support of his statemont that tho works would only cost £6000. Whon ho did that, ho (Mr. London) would show that it would cost 50 por cent. more. Mr. Birch: I decline to be drawn, Mr. London. I am prepared to deal with an engineer on tho matter. Further discussion and uproar took placo, and finally Captain,M'Donald moved:— "That this meeting emphatically protests against the erection of gas works by tho council." Tho motion was seconded by Mr. E. P. Bunny and carried unanimously, every voice in tho halj being for the proposal.