ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 74, 27 November 1913, Page 5

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

POSITION OF THE COUNTY. Electric lighting received some attention at the County Council meeting yesterday. Before the minutes of the previous meeting Mere read the chairman said that a deputation would wait on the Council «mr»ng the afternoon and he desired Councillors to consider the matter in the interim. To his mind the offer made by the company was one which would not be made every day of the week. Under the offer County ratepayers were to be treated in the same manner as Borough residents. If the Borough took over the works in 1919 it was possible that the Borough would erect new works and that the company would not be allowed to carry its cables through the Borough. The Council had t:> consider the interests of ratepayers, who should not be isolated for the next six years. He thought the Council .should tight for what he considered was a very reasonable offer.

• Cr. Smith asked if it was desired to discuss the question at that time. The chairman replied in the negative.

Cr." Smith said that since last meeting his views had altered consider-

ably

The Assistant Under-Secretary.- for Public Works acknowledged receipt of the Council's protest against the granting of an extended license to the Stratford Eiectrical Supply Co. ' It was presumed that the letter had been sent to the County Council mistakenly, being intended for. the Borough Council. It was decided that the Department be notified that the County had not objected to the issue of the license. Five Xgaere settleis waited on the Council and. asked for its support of the Company's license, to enable Xgaere settlers to have light and power. The spokesman said Xgaere was a go-ahead place end the settlers desired to have electric current for light and power. The chairman said the Public Work.* Department had held up the license because of representations made by the Borough Councjl. The spokesman said the Borough did not care about the interests of County ratepayers. He thought he could get up to fifty signatures of Xgaere people willing to take current.

Cr. Were said the Council should nor pass a resolution till they had before them a list of Xgaere residents willing to take current. Cr. Smith said there should be a petition from the whole of the County. No ratepayers in his riding had asked tor current.

The chairman assured the deputation of the Council's support.

The deputation promised to supply a list of suggested Xgaere users of current within three days and also, if possible, to get signatures from other Ridings.

Later in the afternoon the County Solicitor (Mr W. G. Malone) attended and discussed £he matter generally with the Council, the following resolution being eventually passed: "That this Couneil urge the Minister for Public Works to grant to the Stratford Electrical Supply Co. the license under the Public Works Act Amendment Act, 0108, to generate and supply electric energy as applied for by that company and in terms of the draft license submitted to the Council by the Public Works Department, subject, however, to the same being amended to cover the .provisions of the resolution of the Council relating to. the supply of electric energy by the company to County ratepayers passed on August 13th last and forwarded to the Public Works Department."