HUTT VALLEY LIGHTING.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 9, 24 July 1930, Page 7

HUTT VALLEY LIGHTING.

Deputation to Manager.

A combined deputation from the Petone and Lower Hutt Chambers of Commerce waited upon Mr. E. F. Hollands, manager of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board on Tuesday morning. There were present Messrs J. Kerr, T. Tremayne, B. Neill (Petone), and Messrs J. W. Andrews J. W. Nisbet, W. Little, and J. W. Newell (Lower Hutt) The deputation sought information on shop community lighting, water-heating rates, and the recent Friday night disturbances in the shop lighting of Lower Hutt. .

Messrs Tremayne and Neill requested the establishment of community sthop lights as was done in Wellington and other towns. The manager eplainjed .that .community lighting, would be a success only where shop verandah conformed to a standard, and where conditions were stabilised. In Petone, where verandahs . were at varying heights and where alterations were constantly going on, the capital outlay would be too great. If the installation' were put in by the consumers themselves he would be willing to give': a. service for 425. per 100-watt lamp per year. In any service there would need : to1 be a two-year guarantee. " v-1. ,';

. «Messts Nisbet and N^-ywell said that •the rise in water-heating rates had caused great dissatisfaction. In some cases the rise bad been from £ 7/10/----to £17/10 per annum., It did not seem fair that people who had'been induced by the lower rate to install would bow be compelled to pay the much higher rate.- ••■> ;■■■■■■ ' ■ ... .

Mr> Hollands explained that no business could be run at a loss. Power coet the board £8.08 ;kyw per annum at KfcandaHah, and owiag to line losses as mucih as £10 at tower Hutt. The board was selling at £7/17/10, while the City charged £10 without any discount. - '

Mr. Newell said that the drop in voltage at certain times made the waterheating system us-elesa. The manager explained that this difficulty was being overcome, but would not be fully met until a supply was available from Mangahoe through a new sub-station in Belmont. Arrangements were in hand

for this, and it was hoped that by next winter it; would be available. Tlie 'board at present had its lines froan. KBiandallah very much overloaded, ■which mean|; heavy line losses,,. > Mr. Little mentioned the great inconvenience and loss suffered by shopkeepers in Lower Hutt through the lights failing for a considerable period on two recent Friday evenings. Mr Hollands said the trouble had arisen partlj- through defective fuse wires, but chiefly through the overloading of one of" the susb-stations. .Arrangements were being made for the erection of an additional stub-station to serve the

shopping area.

Messrs J. Kerr and J.. W. And Tews cordially thanked Mr. Hollands for his •explanation, and said the deputation would go away convinced that Mr. Hollands- and the board were doing, all they possibly^ could to meet the need* of conaumers.