The Gas Question.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6316, 14 August 1888, Page 2

The Gas Question.

The present etate of the gas question is interesting. It was only natural that the shareholders of the Gas Company should do what they have done, viz., tike every opportunity, and use every effort to postpone the — for them — evil day when the City Council shall have gasworks of their own. Their chief engine of offence and defence is the legal engine. That engine they are using at the present moment, and both its use at all and the apparent temporary success of the users seem to be exasperating some good people. There is no reason for exasperation. It would be as reasonable to expect a man to deny his humanity as to expect the Gas Company not to use the legal engine, if useful to them, at this or any other juncture. The law has to be obeyed ; it is for the interpreters of the law to decide whether the law in this instance is really for or against the City Council aad the ratepayers. Stripped of all technicalities and side issues, the position amounts to this: The majority of the inhabitants of a large city wish to take a certain course. The minority say that, certain technicalities not having been observed, the law forbids that course to be taken — for the moment. The first thing to be decided is if this is really so. If not, the movement goes on gaily to its now foregone conclusion. If on the other hand, the legal objections are valid the next thing to be* done is to get the law altered with the least possible delay. The only place for a difference of opinion lies in the interpretation of the words " least possible delay." The Government appear to think that the period represented in those words means within a few weeks of a year. That is to say that the almost unanimous wißh of soms 40,000 people can be regarded for that great space of time. In this country of quick reforms, and where the Legislature is so directly in touch with the people, such a conclusion seems preposterous. There ought to be oceans of time before the end : of the session to alter the Act, or to pass a special Act if the people of Christchurch wish for one. We hope that Mr Perceval and the other Christchurch members will drill this view of the matter into the Government.