PRICE OF GAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27197, 28 September 1949, Page 4

PRICE OF GAS

INCREASE AUTHORISED DUNEDIN WORKS The price of gas in Dunedin will be increased by 5d for every 1000 cubic feet used on and after October 1. At a meeting of the City Council on July 11 the Gas Committee was given authority to amend an application to the Price Tribunal for an increase of 5d per 1000 cubic feet of gas to make it 7id 1000 feet. The extra price of 2Ad was intended to cover an increase in the price of coal .supplied to the City Gasworks by the State coal mines. The Price Tribunal' granted the application of the committee for an increase of 7Jd per 1000 cubic feet, 'but the Gas Committee now feels that the Gas Department of the City Corporation will he able to “break even” financially with an increase of sd. The chairman of the committee, Cr Barr, said yesterday, however, that it would probably be necessary to apply the whole amount of the increase authorised by the Price Tribunal if there were any increase in the production costs of gas at the works. Cr Barr said that in thg, past two vears the working expenses at the Gasworks had increased by nearly £20.000, and the sole price increase during that period had brought in only £4OOO. This was an increase of 2id' per 1000 cubic feet in November of last year.