GAS SERVICE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 161, 5 July 1918, Page 6

GAS SERVICE.

(To the Editor,)

: Sir,—l was surprised l to see that af last "Friday night's Council meeting f.o iri'.icb discussion took place over 3' fitraving horse, and 1 such. an i'rnp.ortaTit rrvntter as the , pas service, which has been- straying for years, allowed to drop. The Gas. Engineer caiid there would -always be tcomplaints while onJy West Coast coate were used, a© these coals did not give uniform results. Now, Mr Editor, T would like to point out that the Gas Engineer was instructed to make inquiries about supplies- of Newcastle coal, and he stated-in a recant report that tlhe new holder hnd madeb easier working conditions in the .house, it had enabled the Ooui*cir to use entirely West Coast coals in place of Newcastle coal®; it had ensured an uninterrupted supply o£ gai *o tlie town, it has m-aintained a uniform gas of satisfactory quality. The •Gas said the bills were no ihigher thw month. than the corra»ponrt-

ing month of last year. I inhonMi think not, for (the corresponding month kv tyear the town was supplied from the old small holder, and with a new Conn, cil an'd a new ledger system, and .1 new costly gas-holder, we ratepayers. -m owneifi of a £60,000 plant, should' demand better gas at a lower price, and the gas bills should not >be so high n~ they are now. Some Councillors y-aid the weather had.' been very dull, whilh meant the gas was used earlier. Now, Sir. the gas bills complained of were for the month of May when the weather was fin© and bright, and the dull weather onlv set in during the later part of June, for which we have not received account.si vdt, so the weather conditions should not make any difference for May's accounts. 'One •QouTi'cillor said he saw no difference since only West Coast coals were used. That may be .so with a man/ who is satisfied to grope about wiit.h a candle. but where a business depends entirely on the quality of gas, we very soon can see the difference. I. as one consumer, have given the Gas Department every possible help by spending a lares amount of money on the mosit up-to date and the very latest inverted nm:tles and globes, a-9 the Lias Engineer in his. -report said the inverted incandescent. burner would be equal to elei t/ic lfght, but my experience is 'that th?re is no gas to give the new fittings a trial run.' Wo were also promised thatother means than the ilwoster would bp used for raising the pressure for automatic lighting of street lamps, but the mantles and glassware continue to fall, anl upright mantles are .-"l'd will not. stand the vibrations. •T.rillinifT'-- 01* toasting by gas is impossible. The old 'Council mad'e a special ir.v of discussing the tar question every t'< ur: cil meeting, now is t>he present- (Vm; cil's time to make a name for themselves and discuss the gas. 'service. The time that the booster or other pressure was operating and brought down mv mantles and ....forcecß uprights off their props was Monday 4.'20 p.m.. Tue='lny 4.27 p.m., Wednesday 4.27 p.m. Hoping that other consumer will n"'ve hfe experience,, I am. etc.. ~ W. G. BURTON. Restauranteu.-. 63 Bridge-street.