The Chronicle LEVIN. SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1917. OXFORD STREET LIGHTING SCHEME.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 2 June 1917, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN. SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1917. OXFORD STREET LIGHTING SCHEME.

One aspect of the Levin etreet-liglit ing problem that is viewed wit' unanimity is that in respect of mai: pressure. There is undeniable nee for the adoption of a system of lighl ing that will enable the gasworks ac ministration to reduce the preesur now needed for automatically extii guishing the street lights. Th manager of the gasworks has reporte that if the present system of liglitin by arc lights such as are in use s present were done away, with, a coi sideraible reduction in the gas pre; sure could be effected'. The questio tor final solution, however, is whf shall be the form of the new methc of lighting. It is settled (only tei tatively, we hope) that the centr; lights and pillars in Oxford-stre< shall be superseded by two rows i lamps along the sides of the streetgreater in number but less in indivii ual illuminative .power—and that tl ornamental pillars shall be remove! Against this proposal The Chronic has printed its opinions already; f< the present occasioli we propose 1 confine uorselves to stating some add tional objections and to publishii: what we consider preferable altern: tives to the .scheme adopted by tl council. To begin with an objectio: we would re-echo a criticism alreac passed by several citizens who ha.i debated the matter: that is', that lit gas connections would be needed several places if the side-lamps we. installed, and this would necessitate •tearing-up of Oxford-street, wlie lately it lias been made perfect wi asphalt. Further, there is 110 abs lute need to keep the arc light sj tern at present installed; tliere a much bettor lights is till obtaiuab which could be set up on the concre pillars provided the services of a lam lighter were engaged. As there is general desire to. do away with tl • "boosting" system the lamplightei seirrices should - be 'obtained; ai there the main cause of trouble wou lie done away with. • And when th is admitted, the chief need for t' change of system, disappears. 1 our mind there is scarcely room f two opinions on the subject of centr lighting of a street with powerf lights as against the side-lightii -scheme with inferior lamps in great number—tliat is to say, so far lighting effect is concerned. Ck tainly there does remain the fact th

wag© money and attendance money would ibe saved by an adoption of the side-light system. But, as we said in our previous /article, the saving of from £20 to £30 per annum 'by a borough as well circumstanced financially as levin now is should not impress itself as desirable in sucli a case as that now in municipal reference. "The money would be well spent if it ensured as good a system of lighting as that which the mainstreet of Levin has enjoyed 1 in past years; and the fact remain® for consideration that an even-better light could .be secured at small additional cost which still would 'be central, and thus sustain the pleasing aspect which Levin's main street now possesses, with its fine avenue of ornamental trees lit up by lamps erected on ornamental pillars.