LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 612, 15 September 1909, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE JOHNSONVILLE ELECTRIC LIGHTING SCHEME. Sir,—As. a poll of tho Jolinsonvillo ratepayers is to bo taken to-morrow ■ (Thursday) to confirm tho agreement entered'into between tho Town Board and a syndicate, in connection with a Ejstem of electric lighting for Johnsonville, I would like, through your widelycirculated journal, to ask tho ratepayers to do very cautious, and exercise their vote in the right direction. It is not necessary to caution any ratepayor that has seen the agreement, but as very few have had an opportunity of seeing it owing to their having to- attend business in Wellington, they have ,to rely on what is told them. It is a woll-known fact that the board is very divided over this agreement. The fact is that the agreement is very slipshod, and all the benefits are in favour of tho company, and the ratepayers are asked to agreo to an encroachment on thejr rights for a period of thirty-one years. One commissioner of the board has told, myself, and 6everal others that 1 know that if wo do not carry this agreement we do not deservo lights at all. . . A great many of us know what the syndicate told us about this scheme, and that they wcro going to give fifty lamps free of charge, but there is no mention, of it. in the agreement. They will not even connect them free of charge unless the lamps are' to bo situated within 50 feet of the main, yet they have not defined the route of the main. No mention. Is even made of the position of tho power-ho'nso; .no mention of tho estimated.cost.of the works; no mention of the means of driving, the dynamo, though I understand the power is to be derived from "suction gas.', , .If. it is true, then we will be in for a great system of failures. But to get to tho chief point, some commissioners' state the whole thing will cost us nothing. . I did not know there were such philanthropists in ' Wellington, that they would go to an expenditure of about three thousand pounds for ;tho sake of their follo-w-crcatures in Jobnsonville to provide them with a system of lighting, ovfln though the system ; may not be tho best, but according to some of our worthy board men such is the case. But when tho agreement wo find that soch • worthies must have had a glorious dream, .because what they said is contrary to the facts contained in the agreement, which will, be biaduig for' thirty-one years if we• endorse it on Thursday next. -..'. -.-., :■ • Now fellow-ratepayers who have' not seen the agreement, read this carefully'and see if •it will! cost us nothing. Clause t of tho said agreement: . ■ . • • ■ ■ ' ~ I m" 11 } 6 wntractors.shaU, before the 31st day of March, 1910, or within such extended time as aforesaid, erect and fix. such jamp-posts, lamps, and-fittings as the board'may require to be erected or fixed Jot lighting , the streets and Pao'ie Places within the district, and the same shall be erected- and.fixed.at such.places as the board shall require; and tho said contractors shall thereafter from-time to time.during tne. currency of this contract, at the direction of the board, erect'and fix such further lampand fittings for tho lighting of tho streets and public,places as the board may from timo to time require. Tho board paying for ;the ■ cost ■ of, and labour of, ■ fixing such lamp-posts, lamps, and fittings,when and as soon as the cjectrio energy 6hall be supplied by the .contractors thereto. .V^ , , Tot it.is going to.cost us nothing. Th« agreement also states that the, street lamps are t» be 32 en. lamps, and.areVbe lighted at sunset and extinguished at 10.30 p.m. 'On dark, wet nights it will be advisable ; for ratepayers .to carry a v lantern with them to find tho street lamps,-, because 32c.p. electrio lamps give a very poor light. Wo. have a specimen of their brilliancy in •Khandallah. There is no mention m the, agreement about the ; extra cost of running the lights from 10.30 until I get home in the midnight train, but that is only a detail that can easily be settled after the system.is installed. You may bo, sure it will be" satisfactorily? settled ■ from ■ the syndicate's point of view. ■":,-,.. ■■;; . ;;. . ~ ( . _:' ■ . v Tho agreement doesn't state how many lamps are to be connected with the'light. Of course, we will not: be particular to a : few lamps, so let us haveVcrtough-of -thetiv as they are to be. 32 c.p.. lamps,, anything. between 100 and 150, will give us. a.fair ; glimmer,'and as the price will be only .62 10s. per lamp per annum it is.further proof that it.will cost us nothing. Section F, Clauso 3, reads thuSf--"The chargo for .the supply of .dectricily. to buildings and private consumors shall :be not , ,more than one shilling' and 'four .pence ' por'BiO J , , ''-unit. , , with/a minimum charge.'of, five shillings;pet mphth'., ■ But'vExqm 'and,iafter:'thp "cSnsnmption oxcbSdthi;'irate': of , ton: thousand', units per annum, the price, shall' be reduced "to one' shilling,and 'tw.oponcp per unit,, provided fur-j ther' r tnat. • contractors-, may "charge'private any . sum not , exceeding ten per centum (10 per cent): beyond'the prices above provided, making" such chaTgea eubject to a reduction'to the net'or. standard, price'if paid within- fifteen 'days from the delivery of the' account." ■• • ' ; : .. ■' '' -" ■''.. ? '• ' ' v:' Well,' we need not worry about the mimium. price, becan'so'our bills will never , reach it,' Unless we do not use the light at all, after we have it installed.' What does Is. id. , a Say we, use Osram lamps,' it means a.cost to us of one penny per hour for overy Osram lamp wo have in use. And what do.Osram lamps.mean?. They mean 65.. 6d: 6ach; and" they will last ' about blx . months if you are careful;'if not, they mean 6s. Od. overv time you shake one. They will not stand'throwing a boot at.them. • So, ratepayers, .instead of .this supposed bbon costing us nothing,.it is going, to 'cost. us. a very largo sum if wetake it on. But I have .lived, among Johnsonvilleites. too long now. .to thjnk they will be taken off their guard and carry such a ' proposal... If we'.want electric light—and goodness knows wewaiit a light badly enoughwell, let the board instal.it themselves. Why give the right to a company to monopolise ■ and exploit"'tho interests of the'ratepayers as .a whole? Should the proposal be carried, I think there, will bo a good opening -in Johnsonvillo for. a solicitor, because the agreement is constructed so 'as to allow a good field for dispute. : Fellow-ratepayers, be wise. Keep syndicates out of our public affairs, and don t forget yon have the power, and mind you use it on next Thursday. Show the board that we .are capable. of - running all industries •'■ ourselves, and when wesay "Let there beflight in Johnsonville," let that light be "made under the control of our board.—l am, etc.;: . : : , ■' : :■ ' ' .•"• . ; "' ' : -'. : ANTI-SYNDICATE. Johnsonville, . \■ ".■ .'■ ■ ':. •.

THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

Sirj-rAs a subscriber to, and reader of, your A-aluable daily,, I ,wish. to add ■my .tribute, to the very. able .manner in■; which you' have analysed tho, merits of the respective' candidates.'in the contest neit. Thursday. Though I'l reside., many'i miles from the electorate .in question, I can. assure your readers that this by-elecliqn is being.watched by the-large body of", intelligent,' electors" throughout. Canterbury. A; feeliig has sprung up among the. people that a chaiije,lß,desirable, ih-'the. interests.of the Dominion, and tho .result' of ■ next •Thursday's cbntcstiwiHtivo the peoplo'of this fair land arioDportunity of noting what: the electors of Kangitikei; think'.of the. Government' of the dayi aid', also: their. in hanging up the whole : Parliamentary' machinery ■so ■as to' satisfy the' desiro.of one autocrat. It is'..to be;hoped'that the electors, will cast vote' foi Mr. Hoc My' jind the,' Reform party, and while the advent of orio";more supporter of ; Mr. : ;Massey to 'the following ho ■ now has will not make a great difference to tho voting power on'either side, yet the victory will have a , tremendous moral-effect the Dominicn. I can assureyou that if an election took' place' in any part.of tMs province ■ tomorrow, 1 butsido'of Christchurch, the Opposition' would" have no difficulty in fecoring' an easy victory, so > disgusted ■ are the . bult ■of olectovs; at tho regime whose', 'promises and bribes (o voter 6 are not soon to-be forgotten. The 6ist of Becember, 1908, will, long be remembered as :.the day on which Sir Joseph's prophecy , did not come off.' To the-Eangifikci eloetors'l say, root outthe time-servers and; jot the Dominion see that you are able to exercise your vcte , intelligently.—l am, etc., , , . M ■:■•-..■:. CANTEEBUET.

THE SECOND, BALLOT.

Sir,—Apart from the,crude, primitive clumsiness of the second ballot,'l ask, Does it seouro an absolute majority ? No. It : would takc.throe or-four ballots to do it in'many instances. Take, ; (or instance, the. contest in Bimgitikci. Probably the second, third, and fourth candidates nill bo nearly, all, together. Of course they should have another chance if anyono is to Ro to'tho poll again. = Wlib is. to say to whom the otlier votes would bb, transferred?.;.lt i'e amazing how such an Act cvor bccauio law,'for half & dozen-ten-year-old schoolboys could have doviscdlal bettor" motliod. \Ve know that eome of tho |Ministers were opposed' to it, and-for party .siko let it go through, only torcost'the Government several seats, ( and mako the position such that tho next election may unseat them nltogother. Tho only satisfactory-,system would to a system of group electorates, returning several members,. with tho sihglo transferable vote, and if the present Administration will, no; do it, let us find ono that will.—l ani, * °".."■■!'.- ; "'..■■'■■ :'. E.STEVENSON; Hastings,' September 13. , ■~ . :