RECORD GAS SALES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 3

RECORD GAS SALES

Napier Company’s Year Dominion Special Service. NAPIER, February 9. The total gas sold by the Napier Gas Company in Hastings and Napier during the year ended December 31, 1943. was 132,560,000 cubic feet, Iming an increase of approximately 4,500,000 cubic feet above'the previous year. This, said.the chairman of directors, Air. A. D. Brown, at the sixty-ninth annual meeting of the company, was the highest record of gas sales in the history of the company. The total revenue received at. £62,102, he said, was £2292 higher than the previous year, and because of the improvement in gas sales and residuals, coke and tar. CQfll freight, carbonizing, wages and plant maintenance at £38,653, again showed an increast; above the 1942 figures, but after deducting £4500 granted by the Stabilization Commission to meet part of the increased costs of coal and carbonizing wages, the net cost of manufacturing was £34,153, a reduction of £2146 on the previous year. Distribution costs at £B6-18 were £399 more. Management, charges at £2749 were £614 less than th.e jircvioiis year. The total expenditure on new plant, mains and meters for the year was £2068, compared with £2952 for the previous year. A further setting of six horizontal retorts was rebuilt at the Hastings works and tyie half of the carbonizing plant at the Napier works, comprising eight vertical retorts, was also rebuilt. “The uncertainty of regular supplies of New Zealand coal and the complete exclusion of Australian coal, together with an acute shortage of manpower, has made difficulties for all concerned,” said the chairman, “but we do acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the Mining and Shipping Controllers, who have clone their best to keen supplies of coal coming. forward to Napier and Hastings, which has so far enabled the company to maintain an uninterrupted supply of gas to its 7000 consumers.

“The fact that this company has been able to carry on when, two or three of the largest gas companies in New Zealand have had to close down speaks volumes for the management and calls for congratulations,” said Mr. T. W. Barry. Messrs. P. Ashcroft and F. AV. Browne also extended congratulations to the gen-' era! manager on tbe results achieved.