COAL AND ELECTRIC RANGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22211, 14 March 1934, Page 9

COAL AND ELECTRIC RANGES

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — I have read _ with interest the opinions of your various correspondents on the above subject. Unfortunately it is noticeable that no definite comparisons have been put forward as fo hours of use or size of family provided for. I have not bad experience with electric ranges, but I. append the results of my experience with gas range and coal range. "My household consists of only my wife and myself. Using a gas range on an average of three hours per day the average gas account was 15s per month. Using a coal range ou an average of five hours per day the average coal bill is about Os per month. Now the gas range did not give a supply of hot water, while the coal range provides a copious supply. Also the gas range did not heat the room as the coal range does. This latter point is' in favour of gas when tho weather is warm, but in Dunedin the point is in favour of the coal range for nine months of the year. Fuel costs for general heating of the house must also be considered. Here my experience is that fuel cost about 10s per month when the gas range was used, but only about 5s when the coal range is, used owing to the greater general heating effect of the coal range in the house. The costs in my experience are therefore overwhelmingly in favour of the coal range. Mr Melrose, iu a letter published ou March 10, apparently forgets the labour involved in raining ,and delivery of household coal to a thousand homes, else he would hardly consider it amazing that “ Practical ” states that 10 or 12 men would be thrown out of employment by the use of 1000 electric ranges. The comfort arid convenience of gas or electric heating are advantages that there is no gainsaying, and which no doubt "Practical” and every other man with any regard for his wife would like to provide. The Unfortunate aspect oi the matter is that most people who have not these conveniences, have not for the simple reason that they cannot afford the extra cost involved by their use. While it is a question of economy the coal range will remain. Our Mayor’s proposal is a laudable one in that it is intended to lighten the burden on a thousand 'housewives. It fails in its object, however, if it increases the financial difficulty of the household. To increase effectively the popularity of gas or electric heating I consider that either the coat of gas and electricity must be reduced to a parity with coal or that the general wage level must be raised so that tile average wage earner can afford to pay for these conveniences.—l am, etc., Low Wage-