LIGHT FOR THE HUTT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 220, 11 June 1919, Page 9

LIGHT FOR THE HUTT

ELECTRIC INSTALLATION ADVISED REPORT ON GAS TROUBLE Tho Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr. E. P. Risluvorth, reported on Monday evening 'that Mr. Birks had .made,a,visit to tho borough in regard -to the installation of an electric lighting, sy.-lem, and that he had. strongly recommended the borough to commence- at once the reticulation or the district. Sufficient power was at. present available, for at least a modified lighting system, in the reserve plant at tho water-pumping station.'- The leticu. latio'n could bo on the standard system, so that when the hydro-electric current was available it could he switched,on at' very.little cost, and.the power plain in- iise" could bc.kept, as- a stand-by. ■Tho Mayor .promised .councillors an early.'opportunity of discussing the matter, ami said-he believed the suggestion ■would solve .-the- difficulties under which Lower Hutt. laboured at the present, time in regard to its lighting system. . . • Various phases of the gns dispute with Petone were also .dismissed.. - - Mr. A. Ford, the borough.'* consulting gas expert, .advised the council that in iris.opinion .the gas-governor-at Petoiif wiis not. working -properly, and-that during the hours of minimum consumption _ r. :very.- high pressure..was "sometimes registered. This might have the effect of blowing out. the seals.. in the meters, thus causing considerable damage, ,fot ■which the ' Petone Borough Council should be mado'liable/-. The high pVcssure would also cause any faulty pipes to.'have''n greater leakage and pilot lights to show' a. 'greater" consumption, and altogether cause a "higher percentage of..unaccounted-for gas':" The action- ot the Town Clerk in warning Petone of-its liabilitv.'should ahv damage be done, and 'asking that the matter'be remedied, was approved. "'■ " ' Tho Borough Solicitor forwarded Unreport of the arbitrator, Mr. D.oiigall, who 'had investigated the matters submitted to'him. ••.-.-. The. following is the report:"Tho Lower' Hutt' and Petone Corporations' have submitted' to me for arbitration three questions: (a) The hours of maximum consumption, (b) The condition'of' the present meter, and whether "it should bo replaced by a fresh meter, and' at what:' time ? (o) ,As to whether any further "gas. pressure should be allowed by the .Petone Corporation to the Lower 'Hutt Corporation in consequence "of'the present condition of.tho'said mewr. "I have "inspected the meter-at tie, Petone gasworks (which meter is used' to measure the gas supplied to the Lower Hutt Borough), also the "pressure charts taken by: Messrs! 'Appleyard and Ford in September, WlS,'at the' inlet and outlot" of the 'nieter'.at White's' Line. At my request"-a'-'fresh set of "pressure charts was taken between Friday (noon), May IC, and Saturday (noon),' May. 17, at tho santo'points; also hourly readings of the '•meter.- -My .decisions in regard to the •questions submitted are as follow: •■• | "(a) .AVliou. rob was used ' chiefly for . lighting, the term. 'hours of .maximum gas consumption'■ was- applie-1 to. the period of peak-load.between sunset and bedtime.-but;'since, the introduction of. gas appliances for cooking, heating, and. power, ..there is! a series of. peak loads —at the breakfast hour, and midday, ojd evening.-. In its broad sense, as.now used, the 'term 'hours of maximum gas consumption' -would'menu from. 6 a.m. unlil 10. p.m.-From a practical point of view, ■ I consider that the maximum pressure is not required, throughout this-period, but only where- the lighting any day loads overlap, which.-.is from half-nn-hour , before sunset, until' bedtime,'. Mid the present, requirements would -he- met. if the pressure between 6-a.m. and -half-an-hour before,- sunset were a .minimum .of three inches,: the- fqnio as is now supplied in the Petoho district, Bedtime is taken, by mutual arrangement-,-between the two corporations, as 10 p.m. "Tho meter, provided the conditions set out in reply to question'(c) are complied with,'-is quite capable of doing the. work required of'if, and I consider that' there is. not any iinmedinto necessity to replace it with a larger-cue. The meter should ho .replaced .when'the output of gas reaches the rate of 7500 cubic feet. • -•'Owing- lo the' pressure absorbed "in • working the meter and-in the G-inch diameter o'ujioffimnn, I am" of the opinion that all pressures shauldlie'taken at tho .boundary.between the two boroughs—that is. nt'White's Line." Tho Mayor, in commenting on the re'port,'said it was satisfactory that the position taken lip by Lower Hutt hod been-complctely vindicated. First, the Court .had rilled that Lower Hutt. was. not only not justified in paying Petone a higher rate for ils gas, but. further, thflt it had no riirlir to pay the higher price. Secondly, though-the had 'ruled that while Petone need not supply more than 24 inches pressure during the i hours 1 of 'minimum consumption.'■'it had refused to'say-what-were the hours of moximum consumption; Now, finally, the arbitrator had ruled that- th"re were various maxima, and Lower Hutt. was entitled .to an increased pressure from G a.m. to 10 p.m. .The whole.matter could have been arran??d long ago had Petone shown, a-reasonable frame of mind on the subject. The council went into committee to discuss the. arbitrator's report.