Rationing Of Gas Results In Less Revenue At Marton

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 June 1948, Page 2

Rationing Of Gas Results In Less Revenue At Marton

(0.C.) Marton, June 9. 'Die total revenua received from the Marton Gasworks for the past year amounted to £7041 8s 4d. which was £B5l 17s Id less than for the corresponding period last year. In reporting this to th® Marton Borough Council at its monthly meeting tonight, the town clerk (Mr. C. C. McDonald), said this substantial reduction was mainly due to the necessity of rationing gas to consumers at various periods throughout the year due to shortage of coal and the inferior quality of coal availableThis, added Mr. McDonald, was sharply reflected in the revenue from the sale of both gas and residuals, main items being: Sale of gas £4722 7s 4d, sale of residuals £1166 Ils 2d, sale of appliances £835 7s lOd, and a Government subsidy £2OO. Though the Price Tribunal authorised an increase in the selling price of gas and residuals, this increase had been operative for only the last two months in the period under review, said Mr. McDonald. The full benefit, he added, would accrue during the present financial year and it was anticipated that the new selling price based on the sale of 12,000,000 cubic feet of gas and 380 tons of coke would return additional revenue to the gas department of approximately £lOOO. The gas sales over the past three years had been-as follows: £4517 18s 3d (1945-46), £4915 16s 7d (1946-47), and £4722 7s 4d (1947-48). Coal used in gas production amounted to 973 tons 16cwt., and the sales of gas equalled 11,832 cubic feet per ton of coal carbonised.

The expenditure for the year on the working account totalled £9206 9s 2d, or £869 9s in excess of the previous year. Wages increased by £345 3s 6d. Coal purchases, including freight, amounted to £3542 16s 2d against £2902 0s 2d last year. The sum of £778 Is lOd was expended from revenue in renewals of plant —£577 10s in respect of the building of a bed of six retorts, £ll6 IGs 9d in providing an engine to drive the exhauster, while £B3 15s Id was required for other renewals. The annual charges on loans required £1222 14s Bd, and of this amount no less than £899 18s lid was in respect of principal repaid during the year‘‘The proposals for the current year to levy rates in respect of gas works loans will give some relief, but the council is faqid with the rebuilding of the bed of eight retorts and the final payment on the bed of six retorts now in commission. This will require a total payment of £873,” stated the town clerk.

The department was now receiving supplies of new gas meters which were urgently required throughout the town and a substantial sum would be necessary to meet these renewals, stated Mr. McDonald. The department was not in a position to meet major expenditure from revenue and the council would need to consider the raising of a loan to meet the gasworks requirements. ‘‘SAVE A CHILD” APPEAL. The present campaign—“ Give a Day; Save a Child”—is referred to by the president, Mr. E. H. Simpson, in his report of the Marton A. and P. ( Association, to be presented at tlie annual meeting tomorrow night, describing the appeal as a most worthy and humane one, Mr. Simpson states that the children of Europe today were the innocent victims and sufferers of a war which was not their making with the result that millions of children in Europe alone were hungry. , “We. as New Zealanders, cannot let this call of the United Nations go unheeded," states Mr. Simpson. Members. he reports, will have an opportunity of making their contributions at the annual meeting and those who cannot attend arc asked Io forward their donations to the secretary.