Lord Glentoran praises town’s gas undertaking (1954)

That, he added, might sound like back-hand compliment, but actually it was all too often true that relationships between the government and industry became closest at the time acutest difficulty in the industry concerned.

Lord Glentoran, who was replying to the toast of the Northern Ireland government, went on to say that the fact that throughout long and difficult period of coal shortages and rising prices of coal and increases in other costs of gas-making, the Bangor undertaking had continued to function so smoothly was tribute to the manager and the council.

He said that the story of the expansion of the gas undertaking from the time it was taken over by the commissioners in 1883 was the story of the expansion of Bangor itself.

“You are one of the leading local authorities in Ulster,” Lord Glentoran continued, “and you showed that lead by being the first to enter the field with a Road Safety Committee.

“The subject of road accidents is one of my most difficult problems and it is only by the help of local authorities, with the backing of the general public, that we can hope to solve it.

“Already in Bangor you have improved the roads. Installed street lighting and arc about to complete the new pedestrian crossings.

“All these and many other activities a little way to show the tremendous amount of hard work which is done voluntarily by by the members of your council and although the activities of the central government have expanded during the last 100 years there ere still important fields of activities controlled by the local authority.”

Alderman Thomas Bailie, proposing the toast of the gas undertaking, said that since the gas works were taken over the cost had risen in proportion very little, if anything, and the price was the lowest in the United Kingdom.

Among other speakers were Alderman Francis Logan, who had been chairman of the Gas Committee for 17 years, and Dr Robert S Nixon, MP.