The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-12-24 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the EDITOR of the STOURB ID,E O,33ERTER.
PRICE OF GAS.

Dear Sir,—l pay in Stourbridge 38 id, Wolver-
hampton 2s Gd, Westbrom wich 2s Bd, Walsall 2s Id,
Birmingham 2s 3d, Leeds is 10d.
In Birmingham, Westbromwich. and Walsall the
lighting belo Is to the respective Corporations.
The. Corporation of Walsall last year, out of the
profits from the manufacture of gas, pal I one entire
Borough Rate of Forty Thousand Pounds, saved in
three years.
Birmingham, after paying an enor,nous price to
acquire the two old Companies, providing fora very
rapid ,inking fund, ban& Twenty-thousand
Pounds per annum to the rates, and, in addition,
a magnificent Art Gallery is being provided for the
town out of the gas profits.
No impost in the shape of metre rent is charged
in ill, s! towns.

At a in, ctinv of the Gas Committee of the Bir-
mingnarn Board of Guardians, after allowing for
deprecia,tion of plant, charging rent, interest, and
all labour at. iteamarket price, the cost of production
and distribution was llid per 1,000; the actual
clst loid, some pauper labour being used, and cal-
culated ..t pauper labour price.
The Stout•bridge Gas Co., paying its shareholders
15 pur ceot., all :wing for directors' fees, and a
management sufficienly extensive and expensive
for a town four times its size, have no
inducement to lower their price until pressure is
brought from the outside, or some competition be-
anies poss ble.
Gas is as necessary as daylight, and has no more
right to be taxed.
Would the ratepayers of Stourbridge allow a
monopoly of candles aid mineral oils to be created,
at which they shuld be, absolutely compelled to
trade, and a tax of 30 to 50 per cont. given to the
dealtr, who should be entitled, in addition, to
charge for the use of his scales and measurers lOs
to 20s each customer per year, and be allowed to
refuse to serve any and every inhabitant without
their first paying for half a year's consumption in
advance ? This is exactly what exists with the
Stout bridge Gas Company.

- -
In our case we referred the Company to our
bankers, and proferretl any further information or
ference they might desire. All declined, and we
must pay four months in advance, and do so now—
an insult never offered in any other town, or by
any other company to us.
When gas was introduced it was dealt with and
legislated for as though it were only a luxury for
the rich. Our predecessors in the government of
the town lacked either the intelligent foresight or
knowledge of combination necessary to prevent
powers so opposed to the public interests being ob-
tained by persons seeking to acquire them.
Light we now know to be a first necessity for the
health, comfort, and prosperity of all; sad all
should insist on being able to possess it untocad.
and as good and at a price as low as possible.
Birmingham could, if allowed, lay mains to
Stourbridge aad supply the town 30 per cent, less
than the consumers are now charged, and still reap
a handsome profit, The town can erect its own
works and supply itself at a still lower rate.
The electric light is no longer an experiment.
New York will shortly know no other illuminating
power either in streets, shops, or public buildings;
and here, in Dudley, in Chesterfield, and other
; owns provi,ion is now being made by the authori-
ties for its immediate introduction.

Electiic lighting is not a question of the future,
but ,siinply of months, and of the rate at which the
neeesary appliances for supplying it can be pro-
duced,

The ratepayers and gas consumers will do well
to take care i.o march is stolen on them by the pre-
sent gas or any other company acquiring the rights
over lighting for the next generation.
Before next winter it is easily possible for Elec-
tric lighting to be fairly established in Stourbridge,
if the matte i. well handled. Not living in the
town, it is not p:ssible for me to undertake personal
work in the matter. If a very reasonable sum is
forthcoming during the next three months, for pre-
liminary expenses of committee of enquiry, I shall
be pleased to hand cheque for five guineas and
render any help in my power to introduce a cheaper