LET THERE BE LIGHT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 105, 27 June 1913, Page 2

LET THERE BE LIGHT.

What Should The Borough

At the public meetirg recently held to consiier the hunting and sewerage cf i'i kekor.e borough, Cr Abbott, as chairman of the lighting committee, read fully the oilers that had been raceived from the different companies—acetylene, coal gas and Dreadnought gas—as wtll as Mr Suggate'a suggestion about electrically lighting the borough by employing the present waterworko plant. The bulk of these reports have already fully appeared in the "limes."

Cr Comne explained that some time ai;o a public meeting had deferred the lighting question for twelve months. But the Committee had come before the ratepayers again within eix months because it hid been saicl that at the previous meeting acetylene had not received fair treatment. He could not yet agree that acetylene was as cheap as Dreadnought, but he would admit that the price of carbide might come down, making acetylene cheaper, while the price of petrol might go up, making Dreadnought gas dearer. He had always been a firm Dtliever in the electric light, which he regarded as the light of the future. He thought they should find out what the Government intended to do with regard to harnessing the streams for electrical purposes. Why should the Hunua falls not be utilised? There was power enough there to light all Auckland district. The Council thought that if the sewerage scheme were to be placed before the people it would save money ti submit, at the same time, the lighting proposal. Mr Perkins: Have you any definite recommendation as to which light should be installed?

Mr Lawrie: If we go in for lighting at all we should get applications from private companies to instal th<3 light, so long as tlie borough's rights to take it over are safeguarded. He thought coal ga3 was the best thing to eo in for, cither coal ga3 or electric light. Mr Perkins spoke strongly in favour of acetjlene, which he regarded as cheap and good; but this gas, he said, cauld be produced at ill more cheaply by a private company than by the individuals as at present.

A desultory discussion followed, but it appeared that from the mass of figures and offers that had been submitted those present were unable to make a decision.

Finally (and as previously reported) the matter was left in the hands of the Borough Council.