OXFORD COUNTY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18218, 31 October 1924, Page 3

OXFORD COUNTY.

ELECTRICAL RETICULATION. A public meeting for tho purpose of considering the proposed loan for the electrical reticulation of tho Oxford Countv was held in tho Town Hall ,m Wednesday. Mr E. W. Meyer, chairman of the County Council, presided, and there was a very large attendaiico of ratepayers, including many ladies, who took a keen interest, in the proceedings. • . Mr It F. Heiidetson. who had been, eountv chairman when the public meeting was held two years previously, explained the causes of the delay ni pursuing tho proposal, which had been the negotiations lor the purdiase ot the Town Hall iuid the building or the rest room, and the intervening flood I ollowed bv a drought, which seemed to make the floating of a loan inopportune. Hie Town Hall question had been disposed of, and the date had been fixed for tlie loan poll—namely, Friday, November 7th. The position in regard to tlie> 'vetieulatiou had scarcely changed stud tlie leaflet that had been issued explained the details. He hop*** the ratepayers would give the matter their most serious attention and support the. poll. All the neighbouring counties were o-etting electricity, and Oxford should'iiot be left behind. ; Mr J. LI. Templin, consulting electrical engineer, who was present to explain the position, said electricity was •i, business that must bo so c-ondiicteci tliab the revenue obtained would- pay all charges so that no rates would be paid The question was "Would the scheme bo self-supporting:'" The procedure he had recommended was that successfully adopted in neighbouring districts. Before any expenditure- was incurred lines were signed up and guaranteed. Before lines were erected there must be a, canvass.and a guarantee. Each prospective consumer was •given an estimate of cost so that he knew what, ho was doing. Mr lemplm said he was an enthusiast on the advantages of electric cooking, and showed the boon electricity would bo to ladies in the country. The expenses "i. regard to. milking plants could be rut. down bv using lib.p. instead ot 2h.p. The estimates he had given were on the high side. The Council was asked to; bring forward a scheme that would be self-supporting, and that would be no burden on the ratepayers. Ir tlie points he had indicated were observed, there would be no necessity ior a nito. V verv large number of question* wero asked and satisfactorily answered. The recording meters were absolutely reliablc; the cost of installing points was 31s Cd or 32s lid a point, but in -mall houses where the number of points was very small, say only oho or two, the cost would be slightly higher; ih? cost of side lincri was £ls<) a mile. or approxinvitely •%& ]>er chain plus, r/ldition of share of overhead charges. jr. was wiser to make a minimum chargo of 7s (3d a month and come down than'diarge os a mouth and go up. iSe-veral i-ateiviyers urged support of the scheme. Tlk> cost of tlie poll was the whether tlie proposal wero cri-rried or not. To turn it down would be to hinder progj-e&s. Onco the poll was carried the Council would go to. work to secure guarantees and these guarantees were forthcoming, and not till tiien. the vrorjt would be put,, in hand. The Council had declared that they would ascertain by canvass, and signed guarantees bj" prospective consumers whether each lino would pay cr not so that the Council's business might be carried on on strictly business lines. Mr Horn thanked the ratepayers for the interest they had shown, and tho | large attendance, and advocated the ' claims of the "Rest Room." i On the modem of Mr 11. Campbell, a vote of thanks was conveyed to Air Tcmplin for lus lucid address,' and for the clear maimer in which be- hod answered every question.