Coal for the Gasworks

Southland Times, Issue 19806, 27 April 1906, Page 4

Coal for the Gasworks

NU TFNDF.U ACCEPTED. , - Tho Invercargill Borough Council lust evening considered the tenders tor the supply 'of coal to live gasworks. Tho tenders under review were : Westport t oal Co., 22s ltd : Nichol Bros., 25s ltd screened and 22s 2d unscreened for Tyneside Brunner ; I" Drown (t.hristchurch), 22s lOd screened and 22s IHI at. screened, for Abermain (Newcastle); .1 Alill and fo. (Itlnfii. 2ls 5d screened, for V’ela'V Main. Thu C.as Coniutiiteo reported having no reeontmendatioM to make relative to tho tenders, and by ih'eir instruct ions the gas manager was present to give any information regarding the coals offend. CnimeiUor Bain moved Ilia' the lowest tetfder for New Zealand cool. Tie Tyneside Brunner, unscreened, at 22s 2d, bo accepted. Tho Committee bad (ailed to carry oal tho instruction given by the Council to report which of the two New Zealand coals was the mot e suit aide. Teadefs had been called publicly, and ii ~o coal was to bo accepted from New Zealand mines, even though the tender was the lowest, that should have been specified. There was no use asking these people to tender if they wore not going to riH’cive ronsiderat ion. He understood I hat about. -tOoo tons of coal were required. and it was regrettable that a big sum of money should he sent out (if (Iu- colony when there was suitable coal to be bad in the country. If the West Coast mines were not given a fair show, they would refuse |o ("tuliT, mill llte Council would he at Hit- mercy of the Newcastle Companies, lie favoured the acceptance of the lowest lender, and would add the condition that tho whole of the coal be supplied front the Brunner mine That e.uil bad been supplied to the gasworks for years iu tlie past., lie b.diev.d tb.it the Conned Would save 2s '‘Jd per lon as compared with I'claw Main or about L 151,1 a year. This sum Would provide wages for three extra .uten at 'tlie works, if they were required. That i meant tilt* support ~f three families iu rlu* town instead of sending the. money [to Australia. lb- knew that dir gas | manager bad been interviewing c.oua.'il- . lot's, and he took exception to officers .trying In inffuemv the Council 'll this wav. | Coiinvillor Marlin seconded the motion. . hast year 1 D'O tons of Westport coal 1 was Used at the gasworks. (The Mayor is,i'd that the manager had reported that he bad only used ('.Of) tous.l Councillor |Martin said lhat lie got the figures from tlie local agent of tile Westport Coal ! Co. Out of 1100 1 nus the corporation had ,'iaid for the Moll tons direct to tlie eomptiii.v. He supported Council!.>r Bain’s tig-ares in reference to tlie saving In be effected by tlie acceptance of the lowest tender.

Councillor J. Stead said that the Connell could not regard lie* ilnimirr leader as tlie lowest, if (lie I’ela.w Alain <‘t>a 1 eaVf relatively better results. 'The manager had reported that the IVlaw .Main coal w,>uhl produce Aon feel more gaS j.er ton than Westport, and at. 2d I .*»• i‘ent. less cost. instead of saving I lAn by accepting the ostensibly lowest lender in preference to IVlaw Main the Council would lose I'lAO. The last year during which Westport coal was used at tie* works the profits amounted to 2-2AO Ids 2d. and for (he succeeding years, during wliieh IVlaw Alain coal wa.- used, fin- profits were JLiIP.”, iNAId, 2 H>Fi and • present. \var» 22A00 respectively. In view of these facts, tin* Council c< old cot iunuiv tli.- r*i c. nnmendat ion of the Ha- Committee, lie rlefended the manager fcoln the of nlteiuptlnu H> , unduly inlbn-nce councillors. Co'iiL-.dllor Stead de.-irvd to move an a inernlm*-n t referring the HnimnT and Newcastle lenders (kick lo I In* ('ommitteo f,.r further consideration, but. this was ' objector) lo and dropp'd after some discussion. CtMtncil'.or Fi'oggatl also defended tin* manager, lie had been very glad to see him on this matter, as it touched a point on which Mr Hawkins was nn aailaa ii y . He had .-how n his ability to conduct fin* work>, ;l iul In* undoubtedly had their interests at heart . Councillor il l >cjn* said tliai the HaCoiuiuit( *'*e had grossly neglected t heir duty in failing 1,, present the report repaired of them. He oh voted to fin- manager being heard by the Council. Councillor Afebonald said that the iiiaii.ip-r, tin* Council’s expert, had refolded that with the present staff and works in* could manufarfuiv Hie cheapest and be,-( gas from the IVlaw Main coallb- NdieVed that this had been d *monrated t echnica 1 ly. and under the circumstances the Council should support, iheir ollicer. Councillor Chave said that in dam*, duly and August, of last year "Westport coal was used at the works, and there were no complaints about the quality of the gas. Newcastle might ho stuck up at any time, ami if West port refused to supply the town would bo in darkness. Councillor Walkin’ supported the motion. While the IVlaw Main might give i In- best results, there was a difference in i h** price which would justify the acn'Viumv of a West (’oast coal. manager, in recommending the acceptance of Ivia-w Main c«>al. had tlm interests of •h* works at heart. He was their cx- !'.)(. and the Council could hardly bo guided Ip anyone else lie failed to see where the r-aiviim ol t 1 .b• mentioned by Councillor Pain, would be ehrcH'd »f tliey a- c«*pted Ihe M t‘.-tport Coal. Tin* I'elaW Main coal pio»biced .'.no feet more per '<m than Westport, ami C followed Unit if bum tons of IVlaw Main were repaired, fully .Anon ,»f Westport Would Ii i\c to he used to produce Hu* same amount of gas. Then* Would be a dead less on He transactionCouncillor W . Stead nsked Cm* manager ii ii. was correct that (ho Cost of working iVfaw Main was per Cent. h’.— Hein Westport nnd that it produced Ann ie ■ t moi’ij gas per ion.—The ga> manager H i- rorreet. (Amiu iiU»r W. Stead If i Hut is s.i, 1 am prepared (o Vot o agjiinst He* motion.

I'■ nmcil ha' till >,ihl licit he would Slipi ..ft (lie cheape.si coal iu order in get 'hr \h‘H\ results idr tli>- ratepayers. li .wins just, u-i uuiViii' to shut out outside i i';iis as it was to ivin>('i to consider N'-v. Zealand coal. I"■ euplainis had been -i ,nl ; about tip* iiumnpi’Pr inters jewing • ■ u tici I lors, but there had been interv; ■ us; ~n tii,. ~ther side well On com-i-i iviii! mounds, l\law Main was the t leanest i’iml, and he supported the. acaie'e ni Umt. lender. Sentiment sfaniild Mil In* alKou-d to eider into the iii.tMer. aii> more limn It entered into pn\ at e business. Councillor hToggatl asked the manager if he could produc.j n sutheient ijiianlity pi lips uiili Hie retorts in use if Westpoll eoal were used. ■lr Hawkins said th.u Air hTot?ga 11 had Mi'iek i he* crux of the whole concern. The matter was om- oi the very greatest imIa- r(a i a'e to the Council. With Westport oi* T\inside coal ho Was certain that, with : lio number of retorts iha re was a possible chance of facing darkness in the winter. (d’mcillor Main’s motion was lost by b \oU*s t,i A. Thu Mayor did not vote. '.M 1 aininy that in the absence* of Councillor Allan, him Was opposed to the moi;*n, he did not care to take a moan, advantage. Tlie Committee will reconsider ihewholtl mailer, ami present a report at next meeting.