GASOMETERS’ NEW BEAUTY

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 January 1931, Page 9

GASOMETERS’ NEW BEAUTY

TTOW do you like our gas-holder?” That may be a query which a proud native may put to the stranger visiting an English town of the future. Heretofore, the average gasholder has been a thing to keep out of the tourist's itinerary, but it is just possible that a time is coming when one may say “good-bye to all that,” says the “San i’rancisco Chronicle.” rSu Michael Sadler, master of University .College, Oxford, said recently: “In 1 in" course of a long drive through many beautiful places, I saw nothing more impressive or more finely propor-iio.-cd than, seen from the west towerin•' ove: the red houses of a. postwar suburb. :lic gas receiver at New Swindon. ' ’

The placing of gas-holders .underground has been urged and the idea is well supported. Concerning this method of construction J. B. W. Alexander, secretary of the Institution of Gas Engineers, says there are probably few

Artistic Painting Effects

technical objections on the engineering side, but the cost of excavating would be enormous and underground gas-hold-ers would be difficult to maintain and inspect,

According to the secretary of the British Commercial Gas Association more artistic effects in p.-nn mg are being sought in connection with the appearance of gas-holders. Tie contends that red or brown is being discarded and colouring effects are being studied more carefully with a view to fitting into environments. In Manchester controversy has been aroused by the suggestion that the municipal gas department's huge new gas-holder shall be painted green and used for advertising purposes.

While many of the cultural leaders of the city are up in arms against the proposal, there arc some who think that, a gas-holder itself is so ugly that any disguise of its function or change of its appearance would bo preferable.