The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 2, 1887. THE LIGHTING OF THE TOWN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1547, 2 May 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 2, 1887. THE LIGHTING OF THE TOWN.

We are told by a philosopher that "man'd time is spent m getting what he does not want, and m wanting what he does not get," and so far as the lighting of the streets of Ashburton is concerned we feel disposed to entirely agree with him. On a brilliant starlight night the chances are that the street lamps will be blazing away merrily, while on another occasion, when the almanac announces that the moon is abroad, bat when she is obscured by heavy masses of clouds, with the accompaniment, m all likelihood, of an incessant rain, the darkness m spite of the moon and the almanancs beingjalmost Stygian then there is not a glimmer to be seen m our streets. The city fathers, we presume, are to blame for this, for we believe the terms of the tender made with the Gas Company for illuminating the town do not contemplate the lighting of the street lamps on nights when the moon should, but often does not, shine. Surely some arrangement could be made whereby the lamps would be lit, for a few hoars at least, on wet nights whether the moon is billed to appear or not. On Saturday evening none of the lamps were lighted, and persons who happened to have business m the town gave vent to much growling, accordingly. The night was pitch dark, and as a result of the rain which had been falling for some hours there were numerous pools of water and the crossings were plentifully coated with mud. Through this mire, pedestrians had to make the best of their way, trusting to their good luck to emerge on the footpath opposite besprinkled with no more mud than was reasonably to be expected. During no part of the night were the lamps lighted. We do not know if this was because there was a moon that night ; if so, the moon set at an early hour and, m addition, was hardly ever visible. We believe the supply of gas m the mains was very low on Saturday night, being barely sufficient for the requirements of the shops and private individuals, and perhaps it was because of this that the streets were not lighted. If this was the case seme allowance must be made for that particular occasion, as accidents, m spite of every precaution, will occasionally happen. However, that may be, there are numbers of times every winter when, if the lamps were lighted for a few hours, it would be hailed as a boon by the belated pedestrian.