THE "POOR SPAN'S FUEL."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 5 October 1907, Page 2

THE "POOR SPAN'S FUEL."

: PRICE OF COKE TO BE ; REDUCED. ! THE MAYOR AND CR SNODGRASS. [ A LITTLE SCENE. !, At th» meeting of the City Council hist evening. Cr. Franklyn moved, ar- ! cirding to iK'.ire. that the resolutu n passed by the Council on the 6th day i.f September. 1907, adopting the report - f the Finance Committee of the 29th August, 1907, so far as relates to clause ' 7of such report as to the price of coke, !-.\ and the same is hereby rescinded. ' Cr. Franklyn stated that since the l'se "in price there had been an accumu--I'tirn of 500 sacks of coke at the gas--1 wirks. Coke was the poor man's fuel, ' -.:id it should be made as cheap as ths 1 Council could make it. The Mayor seconded the motion. A letter was received from Cr. Bisley . (who had been called into the country, and therefore rould not attend tho r meeting), in which the hope was ex-pies-ed that the increased price of ccko ' would b" maintained . A letter wi.s received from the Secretary to the Trades and Labour Council protesting against the rise in the pric" of coke, and suggesting thnt tho 1 r.rice be ls a bag for household, and ls 6-1 for coke used for manufacturing purposes. Cr. Hampson said that the sales indicp'ed that ls 6d was not a drawback t;-> the sale of the coke. : Cr. Field also said that the increased , pi ice had not affected the sale. He lind : made inquiries and had been told that 1 within a few bat's the quantity of coke - m hand was the same as at this time I last year. He would like to see the • matter held over for a month. t Cr. Lightband could not see how they . could expect to get a higher price for I coke iv Nelson thin in other places. . E'sewhsre, in Wellington and Christchnrch, the price for household coke wns ls a bag. j Cr. Snodgrass thought that Is 6d should be continued for a time, to see if the coke' accumulated to a greater extent than usual. He had it from the manager of the works that the quantity in stock was about the same as at this time last year. The Mayor said there was much more coke in stock this September than in the previous September. Cr. Snodgrass repeated that he had 1 it from the gasworks that the quantity 1 "f i-^ke v. n c ab-ouf the same as last year. The Mayor : I know what they told you — that thore was about the same nnantitv. You were not in the Council at the time, so do not know, Cr. Snodgrass : But I asked. Do you q-.'e?i : on mv truthfulness? The Mnvor : Yes. I do. Cr. Snrd^rass then left the Chamber. Th" Mayor proceeded to support the motion, and si id it was folly to increase the price of coke jus', yet. If the piice '■intimied at Is 6d a sack there would be a great accumulation . The motion was cnriied on the voices. Cr. Franklyn then moved the second part of the motion, viz., that the price for household coke be ls per sack, and for all other purposes ls 6d a sack. The Mayor seconded the motion. Cr. Hampson moved as an amendment, and Cr. Fi-eld seconded, that the clause be referred back to the Committee. Cr. Field referred to tbe withdrawal of Cr. Snodgrass, sayinj; that the Mayor had made his remark in a heated moment. An apology was due to C. Snodgrass, who had got his information from the manager of the gasworks, while he (Cr. Field) had got his from another employee. Cr. Grace entered the Chamber at this stage. The amendment was put and lost by stu 3. Ayes (3) : Crs Robertson, Field, Hampson. Noes (5) : Crs. Franklyn, Lightband, McConchie, Grace, and the M ayor. The motion was then put and carried on the voices.