MUNICIPAL ECONOMY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3185, 8 September 1917, Page 8

MUNICIPAL ECONOMY

ELECTRIC POWER GETTING*BELOW \THI DEMAND

THE RISE IN THE PRICE OP CURRENT

At the meeting of the City Council «•. Thursday it was decided to raise th price of current for power by id. pe unit 'Che Teason'i'or this rise lies 11 tho fact that both the immictpal power houses are of limited capacity, and th city's demands have grown eo vapitll; at'a time when tfio City Council w uii able to extend tho plant that sometlum must be done to keep, the loads down t< the safety point. It is true that no ex tensions of tho tramway system hax. been ni'ade recently, but the demand lo more power is boing made by tlv ;teadily increasing number ot cars o ■he tracks and the manner- in. whicl ■hey are crowded. . People, may no •eaiise it, but Wellington during th« hree years of war has grown at a in Teate/ rate than for the three year riot- to'the war. This growth » TcHect d in the tramway figures. This in .reaso means heavier loads for th ,ower-house plant, which at top loa imes-beWeen 5 p.m. and fi I?-™-?-' 1 " low running to full capacity. .It i< horefoTe the intention of the council t< iLcmirnge the use of power from th. ramway 3 , powei-houec The ra.eiug o he price for power from thai sourc "ay onlv be tho first means of applyin! he braite-e- course the council is re uctaiit to take, but cannot avoid owini "the impossibility at the present ot ex ending the plant. , The situation is not mute so acute a h^tc^r^ttt^ "nd always haviw in view the demand f next winter. During the summer i Lr be possible to go on making con "ection*, P but. that may ««m that, wl.e ha n-inter oomes on again there will n .verSed mains and * , ? enoral; efficient service. This position ha ,™n by the record ininjbe 'ramber of connections ever ?jiaaa i ■Sineton was 250. In July, howevei ft* te.SW. and in Au«us at record was put into the slade by . *j±ur«r.sT?j3 , e dl 'raalve the ohange over α-iniple innl nay como the time when people iisinj he peak-load hours-

Mr V B. Meredith, late Crown Soli•?ni" who is joinins the lewl firm of Ttaketb and Richmond, Auckland, leave d Mr S 'jon«- "No*. ] ' w soin " tO , teU partv was for.- __ .