DEMAND FOR GAS IS TAXING WORKS CAPACITY

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1950, Page 4

DEMAND FOR GAS IS TAXING WORKS CAPACITY

For no apparent reason, difficulty is being experienced in getting the output of the Greymouth municipal gasworks to the. level of last winter and the increase in demand is taxing the capacity of the manufacturin'’ plant. This was reported to the Borough Council last night by the gas manager, Mr A. J. Fairmaid. The report added: “Demand increased slowly to the end of May when colder weather brought a sudden increase in consumption, and a consequent increase in ascertainable faults in connections, and the staff has since been unable to keep pace with the work, and delays in effecting repairs have caused some inconvenience.”

The gas committee reported as follows on a meeting held on June 12: — “A discussion took place on the production figure being, obtained from the coal consumed, and it was de-' cided to recommend to the council that a production bonus for the gas retort house be on a basis of 2d for 1600 cubic feet for each retort charged with an increment of Id per 100 cubic feet for each 100 cubic feet made per retort charged in excess of 1600 cubic feet per retort charged.” The recommendation was adopted, it being explained that the bonus had previously been paid and it was desired to simplify the method. The gas manager submitted a detailed summary of the operating sta-’ tistics of the gas works for the years ended March 31, 1949, and 1950. It was indicated by the Mayor (Mr F. F. Boustridge) that the summary would be discussed at the next meeting. The summary gave the following details of operations for the year ended March last, comparisons with the previous year being given in parentheses: Gas made, 54,119,000 cubic' feet (55,367,000 ft gas sold, 42,102,800 ft (43,140,300 ft gas unaccounted for, 22.2 per cent. (22.1 per cent.); cost of coal at works, £5387 10s 6d (£4815 6s lOd); cost of gas in holder, 37.84 d (34.53 d average price per 1000 cubic feet of gas sold, 5s 10.97 d (5s 11. Id); total receipts, £15,547 19s Id (£15,774 Is). An application by Mr L. W. Stanton to have the building code waived to permit the erection of a dwelling in Packer’s quay closer to the front boundary of the sect®on than 25 feet (owing to the shape of the section and the existing building line) was referred to the town planning committee, with power to act. Advice that the council had been accepted as a member, on a £9 per annum subscription rate, was received from the Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast League of Local Bodies.