HAMILTON GASWORKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 4

HAMILTON GASWORKS.

COMPANY VMTTNIOIPALjTY. (Feom Oub Own Cobbespondext.) " I AUCKLAND, March 24., ' Considerable feeling seems to have been shown by the ratepayers of Hamilton when the decision of the'Privy Council allowing the appeal if: the Gas Company -became known. This decision fixes the price to be paid by the borough for the acquisition of the "gasworks at about £32.000. whereas the "sum fixed by the Appeal Court in New Zealand was about £17,000. The Mayor of Hamilton (Mr J. A. Toung) stated to a reporter that the effect of the decision, was that for every £1 of capital nut into the company by the- . shareholders it was' costing the borough £3 to buy off the monopoly. A great mistake was made when the borough parted with its rights to a private company in 1895. and this case should be a warning to ail municipalities in New Zealand. The case suggested thoughts on the propriety of the Privy Council of Great i Britain dealing with questions of a purely colonial character. ! " It's a calamity," said Mr Isaac Coatee, • a member of the' council at the time the ! Gas Bill was put through. "All that, I i can suggest is that we refuse to take the works over and go in for electricity instead, if possible." Mr H. H. Howd.en. another large ratepayer, said that at the present price the return from the gasworks would .not pay 5 per cent, on the money. " I think instead of the borough saddling itself with this enormous expen.se." he added, 'we should take advantage of any possible arrangement to allow the company to j carry on the works."