THE GASWORKS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 120, 18 May 1912, Page 8

THE GASWORKS.

lU2daMMENI>ATtbNS OF RESPONSIBLE COMMITTEE.

A lengthy discussion ensued at.the Borough Council's meeting last nig at on the''report of the '-Gas Cbmmittfio, which, ' iiittliidfed .ii ■'•■recommendation that the manager's . unauthoris a 3 spending power be limited to £1. Ooomcillor- Birch', strongly opposed this restriction as excessive. )I>} thought that the limit should be extended to' £10. He believed there was ii conspiracy to force the showroom to be closed. There hndi been a lo& of "outcry, about tho works* —about the need for finding out some mysterioiis weaknesses and. i'or getting a--the "fly in the ointment." This talk hiicl nothing substantial to justify it sis fax- as he could is©?. The re«.l 'fly in th.3 piiifcmeht"'' ■'■\ri&' the fact that an old1 'OoHhcil L^v-e £14,000 for a. .concern that \vias" not worth £8000. The present manager had increased Oh& opnsumfj.tjon from ten million i<> fiftesjii' million' leer.,! the balanco ■ sheet , aMli6Tigh he' had not looked a I it closely, seemed: 'to .show:a profit i»f £2000/■ for 'the! ye:ir. "'

Th& 3>©pitty-Mayor said that Hit Committee1 hixl riot the slightest Vrish to h&mper tlte> mamvger, nor was be awjire of uny ooiisx/U'acy to close ti>v> show"-roor(ii'' 'fhe. doriiinittee's desire

wjjS to c ell (jl'j mutcli g,vi4> ii*» possiole and io make the t\-prki» pay. He • inphuHsed the need for another sur-p.y ok retorts ■s.s a stend-by. Councillor Girling &aid that tlio piinciplo of roqnirmg the manage1* to get tlie authority of the Council cr vommittoo for general , expendit i» c w;\r n perfoofcly businessi-hke one. Councillors Parker, Homes, «nd Cooko thought thai the £1 restriction w.\s excessive. I>, v«s lesoived th.it the Oomni'ttee d. leport be adopted excepting tlie £1 limitation, an-1 that this be <kfei'red ior iajtliev oorisidcauition. The oth^r j^commencLitionii oi the

report nve/o that JVKv^zs A. and i. Burt's soconnt of £109 for arc lamp flidoiod by the mirugpr he paid; tint the >wages of the atokeis (iiom who»ri yn appliovtion 1 was leoeived at th"

previous} meeting) be increased by sixpence a day; tint a &et of reto'+o bo pmch"v3ed for £48; that ilv woighta of the co:il supplied to the gu&works be chsck^l a& clos&Iy >a& ros-•sible-j dnd th^t the 7coords or tfi« mam meter ut the woiks be not^'l d«iily.