ELECTRICITY VERSUS GAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 277, 23 November 1945, Page 4

ELECTRICITY VERSUS GAS

J HI, UIkOMCLES advocacy of the Waiigamii-Kangitikei I owci Board taking over from the Wanganui City Council the altci s gas undertaking finds support in the report of the Local body Committee; ‘lt be admitted that for domcM c ™ B “ Si ” ■ >S! siould be encouraged to take over and maintain the gas supply Although we quote the case of Masterton, we understand that there are a number o other boroughs in the same situation. The supply ot this commodity, which is essentially a power-supply is ofThe same character as the supply of electricity" and there seems Jo e to tX over th elCCtnc - Suppl - v authorities should not be required A hetber municipally-owned gasworks in any district p“1 u.5'7" by • B “’ d sl “" ld '«i«l t p sea Local Government Commission, which would be able and to draw a - -id £ repoJth, ui°nt O c al iS( adva “ ced a ste P furth «’ b y the Committee’s icpoit in that it suggests the Local Government Commission as the detiik C of tF body ’ 110 t / U ) ly upon any P r °P° sal but also upon the 01 po "" s,iK,iits u “- Local bodies have done excellent work in providing gas for tlie citizens but the time when this was without a competitor is now dennilely passed. Further, it has been demonstrated that gas is ightuig a losing- game now: the anticipation is that the rate of oss will be even larger m the near future. While ratepayers are envert 1 . r U r 111 tho . electricity accounts, deficits, either coieit oi disclosed, are growing larger in the gas accounts. Some transference is necessary m the interests of those who provide the one and who stand to have to make up the other. The surprise is not that the Local Body Government Committee should have taken the line that it has, but that the municipalities should have lor so long remained inactive and not demanded that this act of justice should be done to their ratepayers.