Meeting of .Ratepayers.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 187, 11 February 1896, Page 2

Meeting of .Ratepayers.

A meeting of ratepayers within the Feilding Borough was held in the Assembly Rooms last evening to consider the advisability of lighting the town by electricity, and, also, the question of petitioning Government to purchase certain large estates adjacent to the town. There was not a very large attendance when the meeting opened, but as it proceeded the attendance increased to upwards of one hundred and fifty. | The Mayor, Mr Walter A. L. Bailey, i who presided, in his opening remarks, referred to an offer which had been made by a private company to light the town by electricity, providing certain concessions were granted, namely, (1) That the sole right to lay mains through and over all streets for a term of twenty-one years for lighting, heating, and power, and the right to continue thereafter without such monopoly ; (2) the Council to contribute a minimum of £100 per annum to the proposed company for street lights at the rate of 2s per week for each 16-candle power lamp, or its equivalent ; (3) the Council to pay for its own mains and installations ; (4) the Council to obtain the necessary fiutharity by a local Act of Parliament , (6) the Council to have the right at any time after the elecbric light has been in use for ten years, upon giving six months' notice, to purchase the whole of the plant and rights of the company at a capital sum, which would, if invested at 5 per cent, yield a return equal to the profit earned by the company during the previous year, but which sum shall in no case be less than what the properties of the company have cost. This was tbe offer of the proposed company to light the town by electricity. The Council thought it would be better for the borough to undertake a scheme than to hand over the responsibility to a company. They had obtained a legal opinion from Mr Martin, solicitor, an expert on local Government matters, as to whether they could raise a loan over a portion of the borough without first forming wards, the opinion being in favor of doing so. On receipt of this opinion the Council thought it would be better to call a meeting to discuss the question as to whether it would be better for the Council to undertake the work or to hand it over to a company. He had procured information from a gentleman in Feilding who had collected it from various sources including Wellington and Sydney, with the result that an estimate of the probable cost was arrived at. The cost of the plant, including site and building in working order, that is actually under steam with mains ready for work, would be .£2500, to which might be added £500 to enable the borough or company to undertake the whole of the installations free of cost to consumers, making a total of £3000. This plant would be capable of working 500 16 candle power or 1000 8-canclle power lamps all on ; that would mean say 650 16-candle power installed. The expenses of running such a plant as this would be say £208 for manager, £130 for stoker, £208 fuel, £125 for sundries, £125 for depreciation, making a total cost of £796 or, say £800 per annum to which might be added £150 for interest on the money invested, making £950 a year. 500 lamps at £2 10s, the rate proposed to be charged by the company, would give a return of £1250 a year, and if the borough went into it they would endeavour to charge according to the amount each light was used. The installations would cost £1 per light and the charges would be based on a charge of Is per 16-candle power per week or, say, 7d per 8-candle power. 400 16-candle power lamps or their equivalent had been promised to the company. He was opposed to the matter being handed over to a private company, but would like to take the opinion of the business people, who would be most effected, before they (the Council) did anything. He would ask only those gentlemen interested in the lighting in the business portion of the town to vote on any motion which might be put on the question that evening. A desultory discussion insued in which a number of questions were asked and answered and opinions expressed. Mr Carthew understood the suggested area of lighting the town was within the boundaries of Grey street, railway line, Fergusson street and Warwick street, this being only the area canvassed by the promotors of the scheme. He thought the district might be increased. Mr R. J. Thompson would prefer seeing a company undertaking the work to the borough as he doubted if it would pay. It was a mistake to think they would use all the lights put down. Mr P. Thomson opposed the Borough Council taking up the responsibility as, he said, they could not make the roads, let alone pay interest on a loan for the electric light. The Mayor replied that they (the borough) would get their lighting free if all those who had promised would take lights. He thought it would be a mistake to turn the matter over to a company. Mr Eade wanted to know, in the event of a company going on with the proposal, would they be likely to want an increase above Is 6d a light after it was started. The Mayor said they would have a strict agreement with the company, which would be approved of by the ratepayers. Mr P. Thomson thought the meeting should be adjourned for a fortnight in order that the question of gas might be gone into, they should consider which was preferableMr J. C. Thompson proposed " That in the opiqion of this meeting the Borough Council should giye favorable coopessions to a company prepared to establish electric light in the town." Mr Shearer asked if a resolution of this meeting would bind the hands of i the Council. The Mayor replied that it would not. Mr J. Gould seconded the proposition and thought that electricity was in its infancy and a private company might be allowed to light the town, as greater interest would then be taken in such a scheme to make it successful, than if taken up by a local body. He referred to the electric light not being successful iv Wellington, and that It cost more there than gas. He thought that in the case of Feilding a company might be allqwed to start a scheme and work it for a few years, whqn the Council could take it over as a paying concern. My Carthew said the manager of the City Buffet, in Wellington, had informed him that he saved £25 a year by using the electric light as against j^as. ' The Mayor stated the Wellington Corporation were now installing their own light, that supplied by the company not being what was required. Mr C. Bray, junr., favoured the Borough starting ' the work, as they wctuld ultimately have to buy the plant if it were left in the hands of a company to, commence the work. Mr S- Andrew thought it was a matter as to whether it wou.ld pay or not, and there w'^s no estimate to shp.w as to. whether it would be a paying concern, jjp favored a company undertaking the work, Mr Jaa, Wood thought they were begjnniug at the wrong end, and, in his opinion, either electric light or gas was nremato, ■*>?. that a water scheme ■hould be dealt with first to provide motive power, as they were too far from coal. The Mayor said the water power naa proved unsuccessful in Wellington, and frqoA mixed with coal was the best fuelMr Geo. Johnston spoke in favor of Hie electric ligUt, aod wan^a fa fc»° w *

if a company would charge for the lamps whether used or by measure, as in the case of gas. The Mayor replied that a company would charge for the lamps, but the Borough might not do so as tbe latter only wanted to cover the cost of -working. Mr Andrew thought there need be no fear of the company, as a peraoa wbo used their light cculd please himself whether he took it or not. Mr Carthew said it was the intention of the company to charge for lights on a graduated scale, charging more for the lamps used most, and the minimum rate for such as bedroom lights. Mr O. Cooper, secretary to the proposed company, said that what they wanted was to see the town lit up, and if the ratepayers decided to give concessions to a company it would be formed within a month. Mr T. H. James proposed, as an amendment, " That the time has now arrived when it is expedient for the Borough Council to light the town by electricity." He thought they might make a profit out of it. Mr G. Kirton seconded the amendment, considering the councillors were capable of undertaking the scheme, and only that portion over which the loan was raised would have to pay the rate. Mr Sandilands supported the amendment, thinking that if the business I people chose to rats themselves for the electric light they should be allowed to do so. He thought such works should be carried on by local bodies. Mr Shearer preferred gas to electric light. In reply to Mr G. Johnston, the Mayor said that they would have to make a canvas to see what would be the area over which a loan would be raised before they could say what the rate would be. The rate would not be collected if it could be done without. On the amendment being put it was declared carried by 16 to 10. The next question to consider was that of petitioning the Government to purchase certain large estates in the vicinity of Feilding. The Mayor said he had been asked to bring this question forward and invited discussion. He thought it would be an undoubted advantage if these estates were settled by small holders, but would not agree to petitioning the Government in the direction indicated unless the consent of the owners to sell was first obtained. Mr J. C. Thompson did not see why the town should be hemmed in by large estates and proposed, " That the Government be petitioned and requested to purchase certain estates to ,be mentioned in the petition, tor settlement purposes." He thought the Government should be asked to purchase these estates whether the owners were willing to sell or not. Mr W. G. Haybittle did not consider it a manly proposal, and thought the owners should first be approached. Mr J Gould thought it a strange thing to bring forw?rd such a matter before ascertaining the wishes of the owners first. ' , Mr H. L. Sherwill understood the properties suggested were those of Messrs Lethbridge, * J harazyn, Bull and Turner. He thought the Mayor with some of the councillors, should interview these gentlemen to ascertain whether they would sell and at what price, before any steps would be taken to petition the Government. Mr Thompson withdrew his motion and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.