PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 149, 24 June 1904, Page 2

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Financial mallei s weio again before the Petonc Borough Council at a special meeting las>l evening. Tho Mayor (Mr. G. London) picMdiid until he hud to leave to iuiu'l another engagement when he was relieved by Councillor Castle. Tho others present were Councillors Macfarlune, Bowlus, 'Kidd, Hill, Piper, Wakeham, ami Cook. Tho Ma.ydr stated tlmt on the sanitary account the estimated expenditure as amended would be J81035. If particularly good results came from the collection of the rate, there would be » debit on this account at the end of the year of about £700. The amended estimated receipts in the District Fund Account were i) 3670 16s, and tho •estimated expenditures (including debit balance at 31st March, 1905, of £752 8s) amounted to £4423 4s. Councilloi Piper moved that £500 be ear-marked for the reduction of the overdraft, which at picacnt stood at over iiioUO. He pointed out that according to the estimates the overdraft would bj decreased by £700, but the object of his motion was to specially ear-maik at least £bOO. This was seconded by Councillor Macfarlanc, and canied after some discussion. It was proposed to defer consideration of the gasworks estimates pending further deliberations ol the G.isivorks Committee. Councillor Piper slated that tho gas question had atotimul moro serious pioportions iv* &ome oi the reldrts at tho works had not been behaving themselves ab they should. The Committee hail written to managers of various gasworks for curtain inlormatiou, and was now waiting for re-plies. In reply to the ..\iayor, who had by this time resumed tho chair, Councillor Piper said he might add that the probability was that the Committee woiud have to rccoinmend the raising of a supplementary loan to extend the works. Councillor ilnofarlane, another member of Iho .Committee, endorsed this statement. The position they Jiad to face was the necessity for the duplication of the work* and for Iho extension and enlarging of the mains. They would have to go in for another, or even two or three- more benches of retorts. The Mayor thought they could "consider the estimates as they stood, as any additional expenditure as just suggested must come out of a special loan. This comso wjie adopted. During the discussion, the question of the Council's agreement with the Gear Company for the supply of gas was gono into at some ftngth. It was staled that the- rate the company was paying was 5s 6d per 1000 ft, and the cost of producing it was 5s 9d, while the charge to the ordinary consumer was 6s 3d. Ultiniiiteiy Councillor Bowles moved that no gas for heating or lighting purposes bo Sold for less than 6s 3d per 1000 ft. Councillor Wakeham seconded. Councillor Castle, who said he did not appear as a special pleader for the Gear Company, though he was in its employ, explained the circumstances under which the arrangement wa» mndo with tho Council. At the time, the engineer was anxious to get a clay consumption, and there was no suggestion that the 5s 6d was less than the cost of production. Tho Company "had no desire to exploit the Corporation — it had never done so — and was quite prepared to pay for anything it' got. In the course of further discussion doubt was raised as to whether Iho cost of production was 5s 9d. Ultimately, on tho motion of the Mayor it was decided — That it is tho wish of iho Council that gas' should not be supplied to any consumer at a price that is not remunerative to tho Council, and that the question of the rnto to bo paid by tho dear Company be deferred pending a report by the Gasworks Committee as to the cost of production. .. Tho estimated receipts and expenditure on the Gnaworka Account were adopted for submission to tho next general meeting, JDIOO being added for « temporary bench of rotorts.' Under theso estimates the debit bulnnce at the cn(,l of the ye«r will be about £308. or £100 more than the debit with which the year opened. The Council adjourned at 10 45 p.in till 6.30 p.m. on Monday next.

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