The creation of the city water-system has also been excessively costly, and the total cost up to the 31st of January 1908 of the works remaining to the city after the creation of the metropolitan board in 1898 was about $17,000,000.
After the sale and disposal of the surplus military stores and equipment, the port, with the remaining equipment and the fleet of ferries and barges, was sold by the Disposal Board for £1,407,000 (plus the cost up to £40,000 of acquiring the land by the Government) to the Queenborough Development Co., who thus acquired 1, 500 ac. of land including 250 ac. that were reclaimed from the swampy foreshore.
The inland transit of goods is almost entirely on the backs of bulls carrying from 450 to 600 lb, on ponies carrying 200 ib, and on men carrying from l00 to 150 lb, bringing the average cost up to a fraction over 8d.
The total cost up to 1906 was $5,113,749.
Universal's TV infomercials will apparently cost up to $ 800,000 to produce, which amounts to a serious commitment.
