LIGHTING FOR SHANNON.

Shannon News, 14 June 1921, Page 3

LIGHTING FOR SHANNON.

liiE ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRICi! i

Pending the turning on of the pov,er from Mangahao, Shannon is in need of a temporary scheme to replace the former system of lighting the streets, which was anything but satisfactory. As stated in the report of the last meeting of the Borough Council, a proposal lor benzine lighting is under consideration, and upon this the Lighting Committee, which consists of Councillors J. H. Fargher, E. Butt and E. S. Spencer, reported as follows:

Re benzine lanterns: Your Committee ,has tried the lantern sent on approval from Palmerston North,, and find that it is simple, gives a very good light, and is a great improvement over any kerosene lamps., As a temporary system until electric light is procurable, we think it is the bestproposition offering. The benzine consumption is low, though we have notmeasured the exact amount required per night. The lamps will burn without any attention as to extra air: The Mayor (Mr W. Murdoch) has been interesting himself in a temporary electrical scheme, and to a News representative yesterday lie/ stated that, in his opinion, it would be very foolish for Shannon to go in for anything other than electricity. The cost to the borough would he about £IOOO including £3OO for the storage battery to be used in connection with McMillan’s present generating plant, and transmission wires would, o-f course, have to he erected, but he had an assurance that the poles and wire would be taken, over by the Power Board later on, provided they were erected according to Government specifications. That being so, the town had a splendid opportunity of an efficient lighting service at a comparatively low cost, for after allowing for interest, depreciation and other charges, the weekly', outlay would not run into more than £2 10s. which could not be done with any other system. "When the Mangahao power was truned on, the only thing the borough would have left on its hands would be the storage battery, which was an article that would, no doubt, meet with ready sale. Electricity had many advantages—cleanliness, cheapness and easy manipulation—and in that respect alone was superior to any other system which required personal attention to each light, besides repairs to lamps and cost of mantles, and which after they- were no longer required would have to be scrapped. j

Mr W. H. Gunning expressed strong approval of the Mayor’s proposal, and said its great advantage was that the transmission lines could be utilised after the Mangahao scheme came into operation. There was no question at all of the superiority of electricity over benzine lights, which could he run at a much lower weekly cost. He strongly favoured the electrical proposal.