GAS COMPANY.

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 76, 1 April 1919, Page 10

GAS COMPANY.

In recording the history of Courtenayplace and the wonderful progress of this portion of the City of Wellington, the Wellington Gas Company should not be overlooked. Tliis firm was established in the year 1870, and will consequently next year attain its jubilee. The general public will no doubt be surprised to learn of the large scale on which tlie Gas Company carries on its business. Perhaps tho simplest way of showing this would be by means of a few figures. The quantity of coal carbonised last year was over 33,000 tons. The number of gas connections is over 16,000, whilst 255 persons are engaged in the company's service. There are 134 miles of mains laid, extending to Wadestown, Kaiwarra, Northland, Kelburn, Brooklyn, Island Bay, Lyall Bay, Miramar, Seatoun, Karaka Bay, Hataitai, and Roseneath. The showrooms of the Gas Company havo been renovated and brought up to date in every direction, and are considered to be the finest South of the Line.

One of the most important engagements that Wellington ladies now have on their lists is the demonstration of cooking by gas held by the company at regular intervals. These are open free to all, and they are held at a .convenient hour to most ladies—in the afternoon. They begin at three, but half-an-hour before that time it is usual to find every seat occupied. The main object of the demonstrations appears to be Economy, and that not only in the cost and preparations of dishes, but in the use of gas for cooking. Miss Carter, the demonstrator, has a most simple but lucid Style in her lectures, and it has been found that she is most closely followed by her audience, who have profited when they have rightly applied the full instruction they have received at these lectures. The result of this economic propaganda by the Gas Company is to be seen in the great expansion of the use of gas for cooking, because it has been found to be cheapest in every respect from the point of view of the fuel bill as well as the large amount of house work saved, which the use of gas instead of coal makes possible. Owing to the war there has been a great shortage of the importation of all gas appliances, but the company has, by means of its local industry, been able to maintain the manufacture of cookers, bath heaters, washing coppers, arc lamp 3, gas fires, circulators, toasters, etc., etc. The land upon which the original works stood, and present offices and showroom stand, is of immense value, and as the company has of latter years built new works at Miramar, the directors have decided that the land which comprised the site of the old works is to be subdivided and offered for sale. The new sections will have frontages to Courtenay-place, Wakefield-street, and ToTy-street, and are of the following dimensions:— Courtenay-place: Two sections, .each, 33ft 6in by 120 ft.

Wakefield-street: Three sections —56ft 3in by 96ft about; 56ft 3in by 96ft about, and iom by 139 ft.

Tory-street: Five sections—94ft by 100 ft; 52ft by 112 ft 6in; 44ft by 112 ft 6m; 106 ft by 115 ft 7in; and 65ft by 99ft about.

With the general trend of business in this direction, the Courtenay-place'area is rapidly increasing in value. The tram service is. one of the best in Wellington. The wharves are close at hand, as aro also most of the city's principal markets. In fact, conditions are apparently ideal for almost any class of business being conducted in this locality. Tho prices the Gas Company is asking for the sections are reasonable, when comparison is made with those of recent sales in the vicinity. Prospective purchasers are advised to make early application, as numerous inquiries have already been made.