STORM IN A TEACUP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2158, 26 May 1914, Page 6

STORM IN A TEACUP

KAItORI'S LIGHTING" CONTRACT. TROUBLE ADJUSTED. After a good deal of correspondence in the Press over, the terms,of tho existing electric lighting contract between 'the Wellington City Council'and -tho Karori Borough Council, a complete understanding has been arrived at. Tho matters at variance were adjusted yesterday afternoon/when tho Mayor, of Karori (Mr. W. Hildieth) and Councillors C. Cimino, R,. G> Burns, and P. C. Jordan waited on tho" Tfafiiways Committee of the Wellington:Oity Council. The matter wa3 adjusted in about ten minutes, subject,, of course, to ratification bv.botb councils. " ■

Speaking at the meeting yesterday, Mr. Hildreth stated that as a result of tho interview on Saturday with -Mr. G. Lauchlan (City .Lighting Superintendent), Bo had founcfthat tho grievances were largely imaginary. Tho city seemed to bo under tho impression that Karori was claiming certain rights in respect to lights, that thoy had never claimed—at least not for five or six years to his knowledge. Thoy were, quite, prepared to.pay the. cost of installing 'now lights. The borough was also alAvays prepared to pay the cost of removing lights from one! place to another. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that an agreement had been comp to, subject to confirmation, and thoro w;as no objection to .it being read. • ■ ...The agreement was contained in a report by. tho City Lighting Superintendent, which (after mentioning tho interview with Mr. Hildreth), reatl as follows:—"I wont into the<hiatorv of tho troublo right from the start v and demonstrated ' how ■ unfair , it; would ■ be if tho corporation ■• had ' -to erect lamps at a largo expenditure, and after receiving a return at the rate of £3 per annum, to bo ordered to discontinue the supply without recompense for tho initial outlay.' Mr. Hildreth admitted the equity of this claim, and stated that it never was the intention of the Karori Borough to treat us in ■that manner. This is where tho misunderstanding has arisen, and his Worship is now prepared to recommend that it be-made perfectly clear that if wo arc asked to disconnect any lamp or lamps we shall be reimbursed for our initial capital outlay, as provided for in the purchasing clause of the agreement. The question of paying for the rcmovnl df lamps has alreadv bceir ad-, mitted, and can bo provided for in a subsidiary agreement. ... Should a settlement bo arrived at, I would like proceed with the erection of a lamp in Ra?.ent Street, as requested by the Karori Borough Council." Mr. Luke congratulated Mr. Hildreth on the matter being settled. Mr. Hildreth' stated that there was one other point which he wished to make. In the agreement with the citv, the latter bodv were to furnish annually a return of the outlay and cost of installing now lights in tho borough. That had not been done. 'His Worship said that tho matter would be nttended to., Mr. Hildreth also asked that the distance which the city would remove a lamp be increased from of) to 100 yards. His Worship replied that the matter would receive proper consideration.