THE ELECTRIC LIGHT IN LONDON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 686, 12 July 1882, Page 3

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT IN LONDON.

The London correspondent of the New Herald writes :—The ..electric light keeps steadily moving on. A grand illumination is now nightly given all along the Holborn Viaduct, ’ Mr Edison having waked up and put forth all his accumulated strength to make a blaze. But more significant by far is the waking up among the corporations and civic authorities, who at last are doing something more than trembling for their gas, for the Government have brought a Bill in for the purpose of regulating the supply of electricity in towns, and instead of now .pooh-poohing it as before, the corporations are deputationising and petitioning, and generally struggling to get control of a monopoly of supply. This the President of the Board of Trade, who has charge of the measure, will not allow, but very considerable advantages and preferences are conferred on corporations, in case they are hot dilatory in action, and the 'right .of purchase after a definite period is conferred on them. The measure is an important one in view of the changes coming, and it ; would be worth the while of corporations in New Zealand, and even the Legislature, to consider it, before allowing monopolies which may be irksome. Of one thing all men may feel assured, that the triumph of electricity is now complete. But one of the developments in electric advance, just now put on its trial in France, is likely to lead to funny results. The authorities there are about to buy up all the patent rights of the telephone companies, in order to open stations for the public at which, at the rate of a penny a minute, anybody can hold conversation with the subscribers. There will be some amusing larks, I think. If anybody for half a franc can get hold of anybody else’s ear, beyond the reach of kicking distance, there will be some rare old things said. It will be a new development, to watch which would not be devoid of interest.