FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT.

Shannon News, 13 May 1924, Page 3

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT.

ELECTRICITY AVAILABLE IN SHANNON.

A TIUNBFOMIED TOWN

Another step was marked in. the hiarcli of 'progress in shannon on Friday last when the lung aiitic.ipa.tud turning .011 of the electric light in the Borough took place. For many weeks past residents have been expecting the event to take place and everyoue wag jubilant when it became definitely known at .mid-day that the light was to be pemiianently available that evening, a preliiniiimry trial . was made during the afternoon, "the juice" remaining available until aiboiut 6.30 p.m., when it was switched ;off until 7.15 p.m., ihe time appointed for the official turning on. Prior to this event a large crowd had gathered at the monument, including the Mayor and counfcilJO'is, and Messrs Overton anj Goldsmiitli, engineer and \ secretary of the Hoirowhen.ua Power Board, Mr Dinnie, P.W.D. Engineer in charge at Miangahao, mud other officials of that Department. Here addresses were delivered by the Mayor (Mr W. Murdoch) and Crs. Murray and Gunning, the latter being'the re- . presentative of the Borough on the. Power Board. AN EPOCH IN SHANNON'S- HISTOHY The Mayor said, the occasion w*as an epoch in the history of Shannon and a very important one and the

residents, he. had no doubt, would be jubilant and very glad to receive the light. He said that to the though Ml the' marked progress from aibout 35 years ago to the present time 'was of great interest. Thirty-five years ago the place where they were standing and the surrounding district was dense bush and 'the only infliaibitants were

wild cattle, pigs and birds, but the British; people had spread out and reached Shannon and I the township was surveyed off. Then; began the work of the pioneers tof clear the wilderness. In our jubilation and progress we must never forget the work done by these pioneers, many of vctoaom had .now passed away and (been laid to rest. In referring to the progress made he compared the lights of 35 years ago with those of to-day. The light oT the pioneer, in his camp, he said, was either a slush .light or a tallow candle. Kerosene lamps succeeded the tallow, light,' it being a bit of a luxury to have a. kerosene .lamp. Now, we had arrived at this stage where we had the best light known to science. His Worship then paid a high tribute to the officials and-ben of the Public Works Department and Horowhenua Electric Power Board.

Cr. Gunning said he was pleased as ■representative' of title Borough on the Power Board ,to see the first instalment of light' from the Mangahao .Works. An imaiiense amount ol money has Ibeen invested by the various Power Boards which at prewsent was

quite unproductive. The Power ( Boards were given gr«a.t powers as to 1 rating to make up interest, etc., in . revenue add anxiety ted been caused by the detay in -delivering power, but ] he hoped that this small instalment /was -the* forerunner of an adequate , delivery'of power and the Power ( Boards would soon be collecting revenue. As a Borough councillor he ■ welcomed the supply, as it did away with the old lighting system which haxl always been a great problem to the'Council, as the Council's effort in supplying light- had not been very successful. He was pleased to think that this was now a thing of the past. ADVANCE SHANNON! Cr. Murray, in expressing his pleasure at-the turning on oi the ugm, said it was going to ne a great acquisition to a small town mat had heeh in total darktiiCtiS. He saiu uie Loan-, oil Hoped at a.u early date to go beiorej the ratepayers with a view to raisjiiy a loan lor street and lootpath nn-: proyuments and if this was successluliy 'achieved together wnu uie \\«- tur scheme now in course oi construction and the pussihduy oi seweiagv lohuAvnig, Levin sliut.au, within a, i'wsoiiaOfo ■ iia.ua be m a state max the average citizen would he proud oi. He was perfectly satisfied tnai uu. additional tax on the ratepayer womu be no i'niinatesimaj. that it would be scarcely noticeaoie and that when they had ihad a taste ,ui the modern up-tu-dale conveniences, which they were justly entitled to, they woulu 'never dream of reverting io the old out-oi-date systems. He stated he had work-, ed hard as a councillor with ether., councillors to bring about better conditions and he Was hopefully looking .forward to the day in the near future when somet'ning in a general way would be done m the way oi general improvements. He saw no reason whatever why Shannon snould he in the back ground and left certfun it was time that something oi a definite nature should be carried out to bring the town on am equal level, as lair as up-to-date conditions were concerned, with other towns in Uie Dominion. He congratulated the early pioneers | in bringing tinder the notice ol the Government some years ago the pos-1 sibility of the Mangahao ior the ue- j velopmeiit oi electric power and he was pleased to see one of the originators, of the scheme, Mr W. H. Gunning was to-day a member of the Board and was .present .when the first light was turned on. (Applause). ; CELEBRATION AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS. Punctually at 7.15 p.m. the temporary current from the steam plant at Maiugaore was switched on, the large crowd that had assembled cheering lustily, as the town became a blaze of light. In Plimmer Terrace the. street lights are suspended in the middle of the street and these together with the splendid illumination in the shop windows proved a striking contrast to the old conditions. The effect in Ballamce street- was not so noticeaible owing to the street lights having been erected cm one side ol the street, but this can be remedied, bv placing them in the middle oi the road thns making the lighting oi the business portion of the town perfect. Persons having occasion to visit the hack streets of the B"rough can now do so without fear of falling into fUttbei. »s the lights have tow m

arranged, as near as possible to throw light from one lamp to uie other, o. course, in some instances, it is now lound that sonic lights need shilling aind others will be required. But a.-, Mr Overton, the engineer said a was impossible to find out exactly what was required 'until the. current; was turned on. Neveruieless, Shannon can now boast of being one oi tm nest-lighted towns on this coast. A.> a motorist coming from Levin on Fri-* day night remarked when on top oi the lhakara hill, "Shannon now looks like a big town with its .well lighted streets and residences.'' We reel .sure that every resident is gratified that the electric light in shannon is how an established tact. The new iui

had a wondertui effect on the window displays in business premised. Alter the addresses by the Mayor and councillors an impromptu gathering was held in the Council chambers, which was astound.eil by Mie Mayor and councillors, leading uuicials of the Public Works Department at Maaigaore, and Morowheuua Power Board, and a large number ul citizens of'.Shannon, when the following toasts were honoured :

'"The King"; "The proposed by Mr Murray, compled win. the name of Mr Overton, Lngineer o-i the Power Board." Ju replying -M'' Overton said that in a, job of this kind 'they had to: look to the men lor a hu and a word of praise. wa,s due to them. He said some weeks ago arrangements had been made with, the P.W.D. to have the power turned on. before Easter hut the railway strike intervening had caused delay. He stated great praise was doc to Messrs Dinnie and Gavey, who had worked all night to enable them to get the light through that day. Mr Gunning, in - proposing the toast of the "Public Works Department," said they had been up against great difficulties in their endeavour to develop power 'at Manga-hao, owing to flood after flood and the immense engineering difficulties to contend with. They could not help feeling admiration for the way the work had been carried out. In coupling Mr Dinnie's name with the toast he said his position had been one of great importance and he had proved himself the i right man in the right place, Mr Dinnie in replying, said just four veais ago the Mayor ha.d met j the Minister of Public Works and ! had asked if shannon could get the ' \ light from the temporary power. I When approached on *he matte,r he (the speaker) had replied "No," as they were loaded themselves, and he' did not consider it possible. "You ha.ve to thank Mr Overton for having if this day," he added. ■ Other toasts proposed were: "TlaContractors." proposed by Mr E. .Spencer, re/plied to by Mr Walls: "The Mavor." proposed by Mr. Board: "The Press," replied to by Messrs H. V. Hudson and J. T. Bnvis: "Pioneers of Shannon," proposed by the Mayor and replied to bv Messrs E. Butt and T. Gardner; "Tlie Police," replied to by Constable McGregor.