THE NEW GAS-HOLDER.

Evening Star, Issue 5914, 23 February 1882, Page 4

THE NEW GAS-HOLDER.

Nome seventy gentlemen last evening Assembled in the new gas-holder at the Gasworks at the invitation of the contractors for the purpose of celebrating the completion of the work, which is 7,854 square feet in area, and cost L 9.500. Mr Ogg, of the Caledonian Hotel, prepared a capital spread, and the interior of the holder was profusely decorated with Hags. The Mayor of Dunedin (Mr Gore) presided ; Messrs Clarke (Mayor of St. Kilda) and Cr Thomson acting as croupiers. After the formal toasts had been disposed of, .„Cr said that the toast which had. been placed in his hands to submit to the consideration, of those present was that of "The Parliament of New Zealand." In submitting that toast for enthusiastic reception, he need only say that it was an institution which deserved respect and sometimes admiration. The present Parliament was composed: in a measure of untried men—men who had for the first time entered in so large an arena of public life as the Assembly, but he thought they would not be found wanting iti representing those constituencies which had contributed in appointing them to their important positions.. Speaking for the representatives of Otago, he trusted it would be found in the next session that they would be united as a phalanx for the purpose of securing that attention to our varied interests which they deserved. — (Hear.) It would be patent in the past that these interests had not received due attention, but he hoped that whatever differences of opinion might exist upon colonial questions they would give their attention.to the interests of Otagb as a provincial district. The new Parliament was elected on a broad l)asis, which had had the effect of bringing into it men who, although new to public life, wonkl be found with one aim and one object, that was serving their constituencies in Parliament, having due regard to colonial interests. ''•"•'.

Mr Fish, M.H.R., in responding, said that nothing much could be said yet of the present Parliament of New Zealand, but he took leave to think that the new blood would not be found inferior to the old. Individually he went to learn, and he would not be heard speaking in the House for some time, —(" Oh "!) At the close of the session he trusted that he would be able to give a satisfactory account of his stewardship. Mr W. Watson proposed "The City Council," a body which, as at present constituted, would compare favorably with any Council that had previously represented us. The Mayor thanked the Company for the manner in which they had responded to the toast. He had not found his duties so light as lie anticipated; but the councillors had used their best endeavors towards assisting him. He believed the City Council would bear favorable comparison with most institutions of the kind. The present Council were deserving of the thanks of the citizens tor their perseverance, energy, and attention to municipal business, but he could not endorse Mr Watson's remark that it was the bsst Council there had been in Dunedin, seeing what previous Councils had done and perceiving their wisdom and forethought in establishing this present business and the waterworks. From these two sources the Corporation fully expected to reap LIO,OOO next year towards lightening the expenses of the citizens. He thought that previous Councils were deserving of all credit for the manner in which they had invested the citizens' money. They were now met in a gas-holder of which they had not the like in the Southern Hemisphere, and a great deal of credit was due to the contractors for their ■work.

Cr OiLCiiuisT proposed " Suburban Municipalities," which, like the City Council of Dunedin, were using their best endeavors to supply the wants of the ratepayers. Mr Innxs (Mayor of Port Chalmers), whose name had been coupled with the toast, took exception to the Port being deemed a suburban municipality. Mr (r. T. Clarke thought that the suburban municipalities could not do better than follow in the footsteps of the parent borough, so that at some future time the Borough of St. Kilda would even boast of a better gas-holder than this one. It was the interest of Dunedin people to see the Flat prosper, as they held a large stake in it. Cr Thomson proposed " The Contractors " —Messrs M'Grath, Sparrow, Anderson, and Carr and Palmer—and referred to the difficulties they had experienced in the way of excavating. MrM'GKATH said that his contract, instead of proving profitable, had entailed on him a loss. He had asked the Council to give him a "paltry sum of L 200" towards th'e deficiency, but his application had quietly been put aside. Messrs E. Roberts (manager for Sparrow «vml Co.) Anderson, and Carr also replied.

said that the gas-holder was over 100 ft wide, and to be excavated 24ft below the surface. The following particulars concerning it would be received with interest:—Excavation, 5,670 cubic yards ; concrete, 558 yards ; bricks, 60,000; concrete under the columns, 242 jrards ; bricks under do., 32,000; weight of

tank and columns, 300 tons; floating weight, 112 tons ; weight of water in the gasholder, 810 tons ; material moved from foundation, 17,600 tons. The gas made during his first year of office was about 10,000,000 cubic feet, and now it reached 70,000,000 feet. The number of consumers in 1874 was about 500, and of the lamps 330. Now the consumers numbered 1,400, and the lamps 494. The total cost of the gasholder was L 9.500. The City Corporation had in the gasworks a most important property, and he guaranteed that they would make a splendid interest out of these works before many years were over. He complimented the contractors for the holder on the manner in which they had discharged their work. Several other toasts were given and duly honored.