MUNICIPAL GAS-FITTING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10523, 20 December 1901, Page 3

MUNICIPAL GAS-FITTING.

'TO TBX IDITOH. Sir, — The comments of certain Borough Councillors on the gasworks engineer's report as published in your yesterday's issue somewhat surprised me. The Borough- has taken over _ the gasworks and appointed an expert' manager, presumably for the benefit of the burgesses as a whole, and now we have { a certain section: of the Council retrac- | ins their steps with regard to this principle, opposing the advice of their expert, and playing into the hands ot what must be, sooner or later, a ring or trust. The tendency of the age is towards the municipalisation of public services, and that qecause the drift of all financial affairs now is in the direction of monopoly, the exploitation of the many by the few. All our late Liberal' legislation has been instituted to combat this unjust monopoly. We have in. Wanganui, I suppose, at least 100 tradespeople and residents to one gasfitter, and your Borough Councillors Propose that the 100 should be exploited or the 'benefit of the one. Truly an enlightenedfconclusion for a town that has returrca a Liberal M.H.R. ! I have lately had gas installed by the Gas Company at a cost of about one-third less than I could get it done elsewhere. If gasfitting is undertaken by the Council, not "only will the installation be cheaper, but the supervision will be in 'the hands of anoexpert engineer to the manifest advantage of the consumer. — I am, etc., J. W. KENAH.