STREET LIGHT BREAKAGES.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 245, 12 July 1928, Page 3

STREET LIGHT BREAKAGES.

PCOR-QUALITY LAMPS. Explanation by Engineer. That the complaint made by the Morrinsville Borough Council of the excessive cost of replacements of electric street lamps is fairly general in the Thames Valley Power Board’s area, was made clear at Tuesday’s meeting, when several members drew attention to the unusually high percentage of breakages recently.

The replacements in Morrinsville during the past six weeks were 65, there being only 55 lights. In Paeroa the proportion was correspondingly high, Mr. Flatt stating there had been complaints made of the fragility of the lamps. Mr. W. E. G. Willy said complaints had also been made to him. Mr. Price: The trouble is that pole lights are more susceptible to storms than swinging lights. The engineer: That is a matter we have thrashed out before, and I am convinced of the superiority of fixed lights over swinging lights.

Asked for an explanation of the high percentage of breakages at Morrinsville the engineer said the trouble was due to inferior-quality lamps. At first he had thought it was caused by storms, but the "fact of breakages occurring when there had been no storms discounted this theory. The lamps were the same as had been used formerly, but the makers had sent an inferior quality product during the past six weeks, and accordingly a new brand of lamp was now being used. He was taking the matter of inferior-quality lamps up with the manufacturers, and it was probable that an adjustment would be made, allowing a rebate to be made to the local bodies concerned.