Expert to Report.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 64, 7 July 1914, Page 5

Expert to Report.

THE LIGHTING QUESTION.

"A FAIR AND SQUARE DEAL." The movement by the Borough Council to acquire the Electrical Supply Co's. undertaking' was advanced! another step at last night's meeting of the Council. The following report was submitted by the special committee which was appointed to deal with the matter: —. J Your committee beg to report as fol-l lows :—The Stratford Electrical Supply! Company has been approached for the purpose of obtaining their consent for the Council's adviser to inspect the Company's undertaking for the purpose of making a valuation, biit the Company has not yet granted such permission. Your committee begs to recommend that Mr H. R. Climie be invited to visit Stratford and to advise the Council of the cost of the most suitable standardised plant to suit the Borough requirements in terms of the resolution passed on 11th May. Failing, acceptance by Mr Climie that the committee have power to appoint a | qualified electrical engineer.

The Mayor, in moving the adoption of the report, said Mr Climie had been selected on the advice of Mr Parry, the Government Electrical Engineer, who said Mr Climie was a highly qualified engineer. Cr. Morison .seconded. Cr. King asked if the Council had yet heard from the Company, and the Town Clerk then read the following correspondence:— May 24th.—A letter from the Town Clerk conveying the resolutions passed by the Council and asking that a committee from the Company's directors be appointed to confer with the Borough's committee.

May 28.

Yours of 12th inst. to hand. If we are to understand from it that the Council is prepared to take over the Company's undertaking irrespective of what the proposed valuer's valuation may be and pay fair value for it, and that the Council is acting on the principle of "right" and not of "expediency," then the Company will be glad to confer with the Council. It is not clear from the resolutions which you submit to lis whether the Council will, irrespective of the amount of the valuation of its own specially selected valuer which it wishes to have made, deal with the Company on the basis of taking over its property on an independent valuation. We can but presume that this is intended. ROBERT MASTERS, Chairman. June sth. I have been directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 28th ult. and to advise that it is the Council's wish to acquire your Company's undertaking on just and equitable eterms. To this end my Council will be pleased to have your permission foi the Council's adviser to inspect your plant for tho purpose of making a valuation for tho Council. P. SKOGLUND, Town Clerk. June 25. ' In reply to yours of the sth inst., I am instructed to inform you that my directors will be pleased to be present at a full meeting of the Borough Council in connection with the resolutions recently passed affecting my Company. Will you kindly, therefore, inform us when such meeting will be convenient. WALTER J. NEWTON, Sec. July 4th. In reply to yours of 25th ult., I am directed to again ask your permission for the Council's adviser to inspect your plant for the purpose of making a valuation for the Council as per my letter of sth, ult. My Council has already appointed a special committee to deal with the matter under review, and that committee will be pleased to meet a committee from your directors should thev so desire. P. SKOGLUND, Town Clerk.

Tho Town Clerk reported that no reply had been received to the last letter.

(Jr. King said it appeared that tho directors were willing to meet the Council as a whole, and as the question nad been a bone of contention tor some time ho thought the Council should favorably consider the suggestion. He did not think much good would come of such a conference, but in justice to the Company he thought it should be granted. If the matter was discussed amicably with the directors some good might come of it. He would move as an amendment that the whole Council meet the directors of the Company. Cr. Thompson seconded.

The Mayor said the Council had already decided on the form of the preliminary procedure. A special committee had been set up and he could not see the necessity for departing from the course already decided on. He did not see what good could result from tho proposed conference. The Council's committee could very well put to the Company's committee the desires of the Council in the matter.

Cr. Richards said that at some future date the conference might do some good, but at the present time the Council was not in a position to fully discuss the matter. Before it could enter into a discussion the Council must have certain information, and that information their electrical expert eoidd give them. When the Council knew the best method of lighting the town and the value of the present plant to them they could meet the directors of the Company. Cr. Masters contended that the Company should have a right to also appoint a valuer. That would be arbitration pure and simple. The committee's proposal was for one-sided arbitration. Whv did the committee wish

to bring along the expert before coming to terms with the Company. Cr. Ricliards interjected that the Council wished to know the value of the undertaking. Anybody buying a thing he knew nothing about would seek the advice of an expert. The vendor* had always the right to refuse any offer made on the expert's opinion. The committee desired to conserve the. interests of the ratepayers, but they would be fair to the Company also.

Cr. Masters continued that the Company had not yet agreed to the committee's suggestion for valuation, and the expert should not bo asked to value until it was certain that business would be done. He believed it was in the best interests of the town to acquire the undertaking, but when tho concession ran out he could see a lot of trouble ahead for the Council.

Tho Mayor assured Cr. Masters that he need have no anxiety on that score. Cr. Morison said that as chairman of the committee he would use his best endeavors to see that everything done was fair and square to both Council and Company. After the Company's committee had come to a deadlock with the Council's committee was the time for the directors to meet the whole of the Council. If it so wished the Company could have its plant valued.

Cr. Boon said the time had come for the Council to lun;e some plan fixed in view of the running out of the concession. They,, ..de.sired to whether or not they could come to terjns with the Company, and if nofc they should have some course of action laid down.

Cr. Masters said the valuation would be quite right if the Council had decided on making an offer to the Company.

Cr. Boon said the question did not so much affect the present ratepayers as their children. If both sides dealt honestly there should be no difficulty in coming to an agreement v ',,' The Mayor stated that the resolution passed by the Council set out clearly that after the expert's report was received an offer should be When the committee had Teceived the information they desired he was almost prepared to offer to lay the whole of the Council's hand on the table for the inspection of the Company. At present it was not advisable fcb say what steps the Council intended taking, but he could voice their general desire to acquire the undertaking and to acquire it on perfectly fair terms.

Cr. Fredric stated that the Minister for Public Works had said that if the Council was not ready with a scheme before the concession ran out he would be compelled to renew it, and it was only in the interests of the town that tho Council should get the information it asked for in order to enable it to proceed with the acquisition of the plant. Tho amendment was lost.

Cr. King then moved as a further amendment that the wholo Council b» a committee to meet tho Company's directors. He thought both sides might get much information. Cr. Thompson seconded.

The Mayor said a committee had been set up by the Council and in setting it up the Council clearly indicated that they approved the procedure, so what was the use' of the amendment ? The present position was that the Company had not yet replied to a suggestion made by tho committee.

The amendment was lost, the ayes being Crs. King, Masters and Thompson. The motion for the adoption of th« report was then carried.