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70
The Council controls approximately 1,800 houses in the district and the
tenants are now being offered facilities for abolishing the coal-burning cooking
range for a more suitable open fire.
The new houses and blocks of flats are being designed to last a long time and
great developments are taking place as regards the supply of gas and electricity.
There are t\vo essentials in connection with the successful use of either :—
(1) Instruction in the proper use of the apparatus ;
(2) The collection of charges in a manner suitable for weekly wage-earners.
It is found a convenient practice to collect the fixed charge and hire of
apparatus weekly with the rent, and in the case of electricity the tenant paying his
|d. or fd. per unit through the slot meter for the current he uses.
In the case of gas by the operation of the two-part tariff, the tenant paying
a fixed charge in the case of small houses of 7s. 6d. or 10s. Od. per quarter, and
getting all the gas he uses at a low cost per therm, would make a considerable
saving for the lower paid tenants who would then be able to get water-heating in
addition to present facilities.
I hope at an early date the Council may consider granting their tenants an
opportunity of meeting their fixed charges weekly with their rent.
Industrial.—Arising from 220 observations made, 40 offences were registered
and necessary action taken.
The number of factories in the district continues to increase, but most of
them are for the light industries, and their steam requirements are met by the provision
of small boiler units—in some eases gas fired.
At the Creeksmouth Generating Station there has not been any material
change, the pulverised fuel furnaces being the ones most productive of nuisance.
The smelting furnaces of the zinc oxide factory continue to be a source of
trouble, but as these furnaces are exempt from the operation of the Smoke Abatement
Act we are unable to take any legal action.