INTRODUCTORY. 7 



small towns considerable care must be exercised to avoid 

 being overloaded with unprofitable consumers, persons 

 whose average consumption is too small to afford a 

 reasonable return on the special outlay for service, meter, 

 cooker and fittings. When it is known that the company 

 are prepared to put in fittings, free of first cost, there 

 is usually no lack of applicants, who will come forward 

 and see that they get the full quantity of apparatus pro- 

 vided, whether they require to use it all or not. With a 

 high initial price, a lod. or is. loading on the slot depart- 

 ment, such as is quite practicable in larger districts, may 

 raise the price to a figure that will stint consumption. 

 Often a loading of 6d. is as much as can be wisely put on. 

 An average consumption of at least 10,000 cubic feet per 

 annum per meter is necessary, under such circumstances, to 

 ensure a remunerative return, and this is not likely to be 

 secured without the aid of the gas cooker. This point may 

 be met by a clause in the agreement to the effect that the 

 consumer will use not less than gd. worth of gas per week, 

 or, in default, will pay a quarterly rental for the meter and 

 fittings. There should also be a rebate allowed on all gas 

 used in excess of the remunerative quantity. These two 

 regulations have the desired effect of increasing the con- 

 sumption per consumer. In order to make sure of exceed- 

 ing the Qd. per week, and thus avoid the charge for rent, 

 the consumer will run into is. and upwards, and in order to 

 make sure of the rebate, he will appreciably exceed the limit. 

 This point requires special attention in the case of the 

 small district, because it is less able to provide for excres- 

 cences in the form of idle capital, or unremunerative outlay, 

 than one having a larger rent roll. The agreed outlay per 

 consumer is a fixed and certain quantity, perhaps 4, 

 perhaps $. The capital must be provided just the same, 



