GAS INSTITUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 33, 9 February 1927, Page 10

GAS INSTITUTE

MEETS IN WELLINGTON;

SURVIVING COMPETITION

CHEAP PRODUCT FROM DEAR

COxiL —si-

The third annual meeting of • the Gas Institute of New Zealand was held.today, about fifty members attending from all parts of the Dominion. The proceedings, which will extend over the remainder of the week, opened with' a welcome from Sir Harold Beauchamp, chairman of the directors of the Wellington Gas Company. He. stressed the fact that, in spite of the completion of electricity gas was more than holding its own, more of. course in the direction of heating and power than as an llluminant, the high cost of hydro-eloe-tricity, undertakings partly accounting for this. Sir Harold Beauchamp add-, ed that he thoroughly endorsed the remarks of the chairman' of .the Auckland Gas Company on the subject ofunfair taxation:—"ln five years the Auckland Gas Company had paid away- £ 135,417 in income tax, or £-27,000 per annum, and Wellington Company: £10.1,620. All municipal enterprises' should be taxed similarly to private enterprise and thus do away:with unfair competition." '■..:. The Gas Institute, he said,' was »' flourishing concern. Since its foundation three year.s ago its membership' had increased to 71, and it had 'a 1 healthy surplus of assets.; It was.encouraging to see amongst'the members so many from the smaller companies: rubbing shoulders with the ' members from the bigger companies, wasbound to be good for all concerned. A wiitual exchange of ideas was'beneficial, and the question would arise during the.meeting of the desirability of linking up with the Gas Institute of Australia. , , . ■ '. ■ After Sir.Harold Beauchamp had been thanked for his welcome, :-.n apology was read from the Mayor (Mr.,C. J. B. Norwood), who expressed his regret at being unable to be present. In his presidential address, Mr. M. J. Kennedy, after welcoming the. delegates, referred to the idea of linking up with Australia so as to have one association for Australia and New Zealand, which would be a good thing for the industry. The gas industry,: he went on to say, depended upon a plentiful supply of good and suitable coal. The cost of Westport, Greymouth, and Newcastle coal (the most suitable,available) had increased by leaps ; and bounds. The two former in 1907 could, be obtained for 15s 7d per: ton; last year the cost was 42s per ton. As coal had increased in price by 170 per cent, during the last 2O.yearß and wages by 100 per cent, it spoke-well-for the economical working of the ga» companies that the price of gas had been- but slightly increased.

A number of technical-.matters.■■ in; connection with the manufacture , ;; of: gas, the testing of meters; and .similar subjects were-touched upon^ and gave rise to considerable discussion. The delegates were entertained, at luncheon to-day by the directors of the 1: Wellington Gas Company, and; a visit' was paid during the afternoon, to the gasworks at Miramar. This evening'ssession will be of a social nature, with the screening- of- a .film entitled, '' Around the Clock by Gas. "■ Business > will be resumed to-morrow, wlien Dr. E. Marsden, Permanent Secretary..- of the Department of Scientific: and/Industrial Research, will deliver an address. Papers to be read to-morrow are "Tlie Preparation o£ Road Tars by the Lead Bath Process" (by Mr. W. O. B. Gilling, M.A., B.Ssc, of Christch,urch) and "Experience with a Blue "Water Gas Plant and. Horizontal Settings" (by Mr. J." W. Blackman, of: Master, otn). In the afternoon a visit will be paid to Petone. . . .