Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8787, 15 April 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

THE brief report of receipts and ex-, peudituro at Marton gas works, which we publislied on Friday, showed .that after four and half years’ working the gas works had apparently reached something like financial success. It will bo noticed that this year out of current receipts £126 has been spout on extensions, £ls-1 on the purchase of gas stoves, and the debit balance lias been reduced by £167, Thus a nonrecurring expenditure of £7-17, has been paid out of receipts, which suggests a very prosperous state of affairs, though really the position is not so good as would appear to be the case from these figures;. If a full statement of the position had been made it would have been shown that the works ought to be paying interest at 4i.< par cent on two loans of £SOOO and £IO9O, and providing for a sinking fund on the first loan of 1 per cent, making a total for interest and sinking fund of £320 “per annum. This sum is at present paid by means of a special rate. We ,'uote further that as is frequently the case in municipal

business no charge is made for office expenses, which, at 5 per cent on the amount collected, would be about £IOO per annum. Nor agaiu is there any provision made for depreciation, an essential in any undertaking where the plant wears out or has to be replaced before it is actually worthless by more up-to-date machinery. Those items must be provided for before the works reach what in a private company would bo called the dividend paying stage.: If the Council had made no extensions of the mains it is possible that this stage might have been already reached, but they have made considerable extensions and paid for them out of it revenue' which should have been oar-marked for other purposes had a strict system of book-

keeping been adopted. The justification for the outlay was that the ; revenue obtained would render the investment a paying one, and that owing to tho greater demand j&r gas the economy due to larger production would be obtained, and thus the cost of gas could bo lowered.

Unfortunately, the larger demand for gas will probably necessitate the erection of a new gas holder, which can hardly be paid for out of revenue. We see no great cause for anxiety, as there is apparently no reason to suppose that the works will not be a financial success in a year or two when most of the possible extensions have been made and the results of the forward policy begin to bo -tlaiaod. \Vo ; dmt«

have iio liking for loans if they can as the interest is a constant burden to ratepayers, and «uch a course as paying off a loan is practically unheard of except in order to borrow a larger sum. It would be much better, where- comparatively small sums are required, to work on a bank overdraft with a guarantee of repayment in five or six years if it were possible to obtain such accommodation.

THE agricultural correspondent of the Loudon Times makes the following remarks on the present method of sprouting potatoes, which, are of interest to potato growers in Jhis country as well as at home. The keeping qualities of the potato crop have degenerated in so marked a degree in recent years, and particuarly this season, that the idea has suggested itself that possibly the extensive adoption of the system of sprouting the seed before planting may have something to do with the result. The leading exponents of premature sprouting naturally resent the idea, and possibly with perfectly good reason, but to say the least, it is somewhat significant that the trouble in keeping the tubers iu a sound state throughout the winter lias existed and increased concurrently with the extended adoption of the hosing system of preparing the seed. It is sincerely to bo hoped that there is no foundation for the suspicion alluded to, since there can no longer be the slightest doubt that the yielding properties of the crop can ha substantially enhanced by sprouting the seed in advance. Until the subject has boon thoroughly investigated scientifically and practically, however, no definite opinion can ho expressed on the point. There is no proof at present that the growing practice of sprouting the seed is the cause of the increasing seriousness of the evil, hut, inasmuch as the latter no doubt has its origin in constitutional weakness, the. problem is a fit subject for searching inquiry.

WE circulate with a portion of our issue to-day an inset containing a list of the technical classes which are to be started forthwith in Marton. Until the completion of the technical school building the classes will, by permission of the Borough and County Councils, be held in rooms at the Council Chambers. It is to bo hoped that the young poople of the district will not be slow to take advantage of the opportunities of education brought within their reach. Holders of sixth standard proficiency certificates are admitted to the classes free, and can obtain free railway passes if required. Every facility is thus given to students for acquiring tho best equipment for tho battle of life—-a good education —and wo trust that they will not neglect a chance which would have been eagerly grasped by many of tho older residents in this country had similar opportunities existed in their youth.