GAS COMPANY AND COIINCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11863, 29 May 1909, Page 5

GAS COMPANY AND COIINCIL.

/-.- ■ '^' - .. ■ '';|,'.-' (Per Press Assoeiatibl**.) ' : ;^v WELLINGTqN, ■ tnis day^ A- deputation, cornprisihgXtjie ,M.ayor and several City Councillors/^vaited on ths Prime Minister in reference to recent legislation permitting the ;' Wellington Gas Company to "take its main;? tlirough south of "Wellington. The Miyorv explained that there was a proviso, that the Act could only bo puu into,. Ol^raOori ' by an '( H'der-in-Council. The right Of the Gas Company to operate iri the south of Wellington for all time, and -shift everything that came in its rbad, was a violation of th.o, rights of local government. vThe. deputation urgedl that the Government should not gi-ant the company's request for an Order-in-douncil. The Coloration was' negotiating with the cbrnpariy-to purchase its Works, and 1 if the Council /bought out the coriipany there would be no needyfor the preserit agitation, but if negotiations failed, ylhe Council waiited to see that the Oafder-in-Council was not granted in a certain part of the district. The City Council- had a. right to start gas works of its own. Therefore those rights should! not be granted to anybody else, 'Sir Joseph Ward said the representations of the deputation wouldjiavc the fullest consideration. The Government had not agreed to have an Order-in-Gpuncil executed. He believed in muni-cipally-owned gas works. "Ite understood negotiations were going oil for the purchase by the Gouricil, but ho thought finality should have' been reached before now. This matter should not be., delayed indetiriitely on the assumption that theyOirder-in-Copncil would not be put into operation. 'The M;ayor said Council andi company were ah 'hibstyactiveynegbtiation. ; Siryjo^ph'lyVard 'saia he would stand off till be sow what "went on one' \v ay of -the. oilier. "'_