The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-18 00:00:00

TM E OAS QUESTION.
ADJOURN ED COMMISSIONERS'

MEETING.

On Monday afteinooti last, at the Board Room,
Corn Exchange, a speeial meeting was held
discuss the gas question. Mr. Billingliaiu oceu•
pied the chair. There were also prese,it Men3rs.
Hughes, Packwood. Thorne, Young, Allsop,
Stringer, LlNick, Edwards, Coliis, Emery, Per-
kins, MeEwen, \Volley, and
the Rev. D. Magiunia.
The Clerk read the minutes of the last meet-
ing, and the notice calling the meeting.
The . Chairtuan remarked that this waiii
special meeting, called for the purpose of discus-
sing the report of the Gas Committee.
The Clerk said that he had sent copies of the
Stoll rbrlye Obserrer to every Commissioner ;
that account being substantially correct.
The Clerk then read the report.
The Chairman said he should be glad to hear
what any gentleman had to say about the report,
or to ask any question of the Gas Committee.
Mr. Allsop : It strikes me that the committee
, have given in their report, and done their part.
Mr. Hughes: Quite right; we have given it
in.

Mr. McEwen said the reports bad been pub.
lished in the newspapers, and they had given in
their opinion. The committee would be glad to
give any explanation as to the reports. There
were three questions to be considered in the
reports, and he apprehended that they were to
be considered by that Board.
Mr. Collie: Perhaps some one of the com-
mittee will inform us as to the correct amount
of gas consumed in Stourbridge.
Mr. Edwards : It is stated in the Advertiser
that one hundred million feet are consumed.

Mr. Newnam said he should think twenty-
three millions was the amount consumed.

Mr. Collis: I suppose the Gas Company would
furnish us with the amount consumed, if applied
to.

Mr. McHwen : They ha‘e not been asked.
There is great difficulty in getting the informa-
tion. We should like to get at it if we could.

Mr. Collis thought that the committee should :
have enquired of the (la s Company as to the
amount consuined annually and not have arrived
at it by merely guessing. He felt sure that if
applied to they would have given the correct
amount. The most important part to enable
them to consider the question had been omitted.
The committee had presented a report to them,
and they had not even taken the trouble to ask
the Gas Company for the necessary information.
He thought it was not a business-like way of
considering questions.
Mr. Newnain : It can't be a guess question.
We have taken the sum given by the company in
receipts daring the past year, and divided it by
the average price of gas, viz., 33 th.l per thou-
sand, which must necessarily give the average
amount of gas consumed, and which we have
estimated at between 22 and 22 millions.

Mr. Maginnis enquired whether that Was for
the township, which included a population of
8,700, or whether it represented the amount con-
sumed by the inhabitants of the Lye, Wollaston,
and the surrounding neighbourhood.
Mr. Newnatn : The eurrounding. neighbour-
hood. The whole of the gas consumed from the
works, and not confined to the township. 'The
calculations made by the committee had am•
ounted to something like thirty millions; but
they were anxious to under-estimate the sums,
consequently they had laid it at the amount
given.
Mr. Collis said it appeared to him that Stour.
bridge was supplied with gas at a very favour-
able price, as compared to other towns in the
district. If they looked at Dudley they would
find that the gas consumers were not in a much

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