THE CITY GASWORKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13927, 12 June 1907, Page 4

THE CITY GASWORKS.

The lengthy motion proposed by Councillor M'Donald at Monday night's meeting of the City Council was productivo of a discussion not remarkable, it will bo generally admitted, for illuminating power. Tho object of the motion—namely, the ascertainment of the liest method of effecting a. reduution in tho price of Corporation gas and of increasing its illuminating quality,— will commend itself to the public, which has yo large an interest in this matter. The question remains whether or not the time is opportune for the taking of the stops advocated by Councillor M'Donald, which involved the setting up of a committee which should make :> full inquiry into the management of the gas department, past and present, and ascertain the profits accruing to the Corporation each year and the basis upon which such profits have been and are calculated.' It may be that tho course advocated by Councillor M'Donald provides the, best means for tho arrival at a sound conclusion upon tho matters involved, in regard to which some of the members of the Council may be excused for having undecided ideas despite 'more or less enlightening comparative statements. Care must, however, always bo taken .judgment of any now system which is on trial may be misleading or of little value because premature. Under all the circumstances governing the operations of the. city gasworks during the past year we do not suppose that, had tho Council adopted Councillor M'Donald's proposal on Monday night, any really very valuable comparative result* would have been forthcoming from the inquiry at the present time. Councillor M'Donald is evidently not disposed to lie much impressed by the Town Clerk's comment that of late the financial results of tho gasworks, have been £8000 a year better than thoso previously obtained, his own

investigations leading him to the conclusion that tlioro lias boon little to pick and choose 'between Hie results. While it is difficult- to ;>n'ivc at a- rnitlly satisfactory conclusion in this matter, credit must, bo given Councillor M'Donald for having n knowledge of the. subject to which ho has given prominence. In the report which wo published last Thursday, in which the Corporation gas manager gives a comparative statement as to operations at the gasworks during the, past two years, Mr Hungerford takes occasion to remark at the outset: "In placing before yo\i a comparative) analysis of tho working of your gasworks for the years ended March 31, MOG and 1907, respectively, I would, if left to my own predilection, have deferred making such comparison until I could justly claim to have, a year's working unhampered by the disorganisation against which I have been contending for tho whole of my period of oilice at 'these, works." Later on in his report Mr Hungerford reiterates the contention hero involved in different words. As it is still rather less than a year since, Mr Hungerford assumed duty as manager of the gasworks, it is not unreasonable, that ho should emphasise the fact that lie is at a. disadvantage in comparing the work of the past year with the work of the year which preceded it. The Council did wisely, we aro disposed to think, in rejecting Councillor M'DonaldT* motion on Monday night, not because of any intrinsic defects which marked it, but because, it entailed a lino of action which, however desirable it may be later on, appears just now to be premature. It is well that tho present manager of the gasworks should have an unhampered opportunity of satisfying, as he in confident he can, all unprejudiced persons that the administration of the important public service in his charge " is on a sound basis and unassailable under the circumstances and all things considered."