Rays of Information.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 94, 20 December 1913, Page 5

Rays of Information.

LiGHT FOR THE COUNTY,

SOME MISAPPREHENSIONS. Mr R. Masters, chairman of directors of the Stratford Electrical Supply Company, called at the “Stratford Bust” office this morning and supplied some information regarding the proposed issue of a license to the Comi pauy to evupoAvor it to supply eloctiic !current in Stratford County.

! Mr Masters said ho had read the “Post” report of proceedings at the ’County Council in connection with the license. He did not desire to go into 'the whole Question, but he wished to correct certain statements made by the Borough delegates. He did not doubt that the statements had been made in the very best of faith, but they | were probably nfade as a result of the 'speakers being not fully acquainted with the facts of the case. His object in speaking on the matter was, if possible, to make the facts thoroughly clear to all those in the County and jin the Borough who were interested ’in the matter. Mr Richards said on j Wednesday that the Borough deputation to Wellington did not oppose the j granting of the license to the County. I but if their report on their return from' Wellington, published in the “Post,” was referred to it pould be found that the report stated distinctly that the deputation went to Wellington to oppose the granting of the license. Mr Kirkwood said that ,i< | the license were issued it would I mean that the Company would be emj powered to supply light to the Bor--1 ough for 42 years, but he overlooked the fact that within that 42 years the Borough had the right to purchase, at arbitration, the w’hole of the plant and works, by giving twelve months’ notice, and there is a clause inserted in the license that the Borough shall not pay any goodwill for the business. The Company in the first place did not apply for , the license. The initiative was taken by the Public Works Department who demanded that the Company take out a license. The license was not, as Mr Kirkwood said, “ostensibly to generate electricity In water and power.” The license em I powered the Company to generate electricity by any power the Company may desire, to erect lines,throughout the Borough and the County, and tc supply current to consumers at a stat ed rate within those areas. Another statement Mr Kirkwood made wan that there was no suitable water pow er in the.i IJorpngh and that the Company was getting two-thirds of it; (power. from ,its oil oggipo. , He would | not have made, that statement if In had been conversant with the facts as at the present time the Company was, getting four-lifths of its powei from water. As evidence that in this connection Mr Kirkwood may have been speaking withopt the hook, Mr Masters mentioned that lie himself was surprised, on making enquiries, that such a large proportion of the power was generated by w’ator. Previous to making enquiries he himself was not. aware what the exact I proportion Avas.