THE GAS CONTROVERSY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 566, 22 July 1909, Page 6

THE GAS CONTROVERSY.

COMPANY AND THE ACTING-PBIMfi v ■;;. -o:.:;:minister. ■ *: ■•■•'.... .•;•': .-; As'the result;of a meeting of tihe Board of Directors of the Gas 'Company yesterday, Mr. Wni.- Ferguson,(.maDaging.director, has forwarded, tho i following letter to iiho Actings Prime ;< Minister.:—_/ ,-', . . '

Sirj—ln tlie newspaper accounts of your reception of a dpputationfrom the City Council on the subject of the proposed lssuo- of an.:,ord6r.-in-Council authorising ■_ the laying of a gas main ;botw«etiCoustabfc Street and' tho boundary, of. •the-Mira.mar' Borough, you are reported to: have suggested 'that tho company should give an undertaking hot to use tiho proposed 'main for any purpose of reticulation therefrom of the Melrose portion, of the city. This assurance the company haa always been,/ and still is, only too willing to give, and I now submit to. you for the con--' r sideration of ! the Government a draft Ordor-in-Council. embody ing tihis provision, as'also providing that, the worker laying the- main ■ shall be undertaken under the provisions of the Wellington Gas Company's Aot, so as to remove the suggestion' that has been, erroneously made that the company would'not have to comply with the usual conditions under which all gas mains are laid in tho city. I trust that the Government wUI realise that the company thus shows its desire to provide for every,point that.can be legitimately raised in the interests of the city in connection with the proposed'main. 'The directors authorise mo to again emphasise that they are sbrongly of opinion'that the question or tKe pipe to Miramar ought not to be mixed up with any question of an extension, of, or alteration to, the existing agreement as to the rights of gas supply to tho Melroso district. They are prepared to pay a reasonable amount for the prolongation of the privileges in; .that districtj and to continue negotiations with the council to that end; but they again, submit, with the greatest respect, that any' negotiation between .tho council and the company on that issue is purely a matter betweon. the council and tie company, and should not with justice bo intermingled with the question of tho main connection to Miramar. As an indication of the .company's earnest endeavour to mcot the' demands «f the council, I enclose yon for your pereonßil information 1 a copy of a letter that Is being to-day sent to the Town Clerk. As previous correspondence has, been published in.', the newspapers, I am taking the liberty of also forwarding- a copy of this letter to the prea for publication.—l am,- sir, yours' truly, (signed) ■ William Ferguson/ managing dire* tor. ' ; .. " ..1 : , '■■ V.-. . •....■;..■•.. ' ■

The draft Order-in-Council referred to in the above lettei- was forwarded to'the Act. ing-Prime Minister yesterday afternoon, and tho letter to tuo Towih Clerk was also, delivered yesterday afternoon. On boing asked by a representative of The Domdton if tho letter received from', the Gas Company was available for publication, -the Town Clerk (Mr. Palmer) replied that he could not allow the contents of t!he.letter to bo made puhlio as tho letter had to bo-placed beforo the Gas Committee of the council.' A meotdng of iiht: Gas Committee is being .called tor this mom tos-. :■ ' '■','■■ '." ; /.■'■'.. ■' ■' .- ■ .'■ -,