ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 88, 16 April 1915, Page 7

ELECTRIC LIGHT.

STRATFORD'S SCHEME PROj CRESSES. | At the lust meeting of the present Council held on "Wednesday night,, 1 there was a long discussion on this well-worn subject, which was productive of some very illuminating statements by the dying councillors. For the better understanding of this article, it may be mentioned that His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. P. Kiikwood) and Crs Richards, Fredric, and Moon visited Feilding recently, some data concerning which is embodied in the report which was the matter •under discussion. The Special Light--1 Committee was comprised of His j Worship the Mayor, and Crs Richards, Fredric, Rood and Morison. The report read as follows: — The special committee appointed to attend to matters connected with the lighting of the town has already laid ! on the table the reports received from Messrs Climie and Son, and corresjpondence connected therewith. Since I that was done four of the committee |visited Feilding for the purpose of inspecting the electric light installation ! recently completed there. The committee are well pleased with the Feild'ing installation, which is a standardised plant as recommended by the New 1 Zealand Government, the cost being iTil,ooo. Your committee is of opinion that an installation similar to that in Feilding would meet the re'quiroinents of this Borough. In order to provide for possible breakdowns, it j would be necessary to duplicate the motive power. The committee has I considered various types of motive (power, and is of opinion that the Deisel engine would prove most satisIfactory. Your committee recommends that the Council takes the necessary stops to instal an electric lighting and power system similar to that at Feilding. Particulars supplied with the report wore as follows Motive Power, 2 I Deisel engines each 100 H.P., and (each developing 75 K Watts System I single phrase alternating periodicity 'oo primary 2,400 volts. Current, isecondary 230 volts. Erecting and j Wiring, primary mains 18 miles, sec•ondarv mains 17 miles. Street Lightling, separate 20 miles, 150 lamps high voltage. Poles, iron bark, 27 feet 'long recommended, 800 used in bedding. fit transformers. 26 miles of streets in Feilding. Area 3,500 acres. | The Mayor moved the adoption of the report. He said it was hardly 'necessary for him to say much. The 'committee had gone very carefully iuUo the matter, and they had come to 'the conclusion embodied in the recoinemendation. Any further information !required could be got from the various reports that had been brought down. I Cr Morison seconded the motion, 'stating that the report spoke for itself. Cr Masters asked if the committee were in earnest in the matter. Did they intend to commit the Council to an expenditure of £IB,OOO or £19,000. The committee had boon at work on the question for twelve months, and practically no report had been brought down until the last meeting of this Council. Cr Masters said he was not questioning the sincerity ot the committee, but the lact remained that the committee had got a report from some electrical engineer at a cost of something like £IOO. When they had got the report It was not of sufficient importance to discuss and had never been discussed. Then the committee took it into their heads to go to Feilding to look at that plant. He was not condemning the visit to Feilding, but there was the fact they had left it to the last minute of the present Council, and brought down a report committing the new Council to an amount he (Cr Masters) did not know how much. They said the Feilding plant cost £ll.ooo—so far, so good; they also said Stratford would have to get another Deisel engine costing another £1000; that would bring up the total to £15,000 in itself. Then again, that Feilding had 36 miles of wiring, whereas Stratford had 100 miles. Were the Council aware that the cost of wiring was £IOO per mile? The additional length of wiring required in Stratford would )mean another £6400, so they would sec that at this, the last meeting, the now Council was being committed to the expenditure of £20,000. He hoped the Mayor would not try to put the matter through. He would sooner see it held over and let the new Council consider the position themselves. That would only be a right and proper thing to do. vAny councillor who now voted for it and later found himself upon the new Council would he pledged to carry it out. Cr Masters said they wanted first of all to ascertain the Council’s position in the matter. There was no use saying that the councillors know, because they did not know. Personally, he could not see any other way but in taking a poll of ratepayers on the expenditure of £17,000 to £19,000 for the purchase of the company’s plant. In conclusion. Cr Masters again said it was a wrong thing in his opinion to put the matter through at this (the last) meeting of the Council. Cr Fredric said that some remarks I of Cr Masters were very unfortunate, j He referred particularly to the state- J meut that the matter had been left | to the last meeting of the Council, j (The committee had put in a lot ol [time and gone to a lot of trouble to J make progress in connection with j •municipal affairs for the past six |

months. They had done their very j utmost to push the matter on as far as they could. All they had in view was to advance the town, Cr Masters said he was not condemning the committee for their work, hut for bringing down the report at the last meeting of the Council. Cr Fredric asked Cr Masters not to interrupt. Continuing, Cr Fredric said that Cr Masters had mentioned *f() miles as the length of wiring m the Feikling installation. This should he (il miles, compared to 100 in Stratford. He wished to point out, also, that the Former’s installation was right up to date, which had been put iii for a very small amount of money. Stratford might cost more, hut the committee had given them figures showing the approximate cost. Ci- Richards said that in his opinion the most important thing that the Borough could do was to municipalise the lighting of the town. That was a. matter that had been before the Council for years, and it was of the utmost importance that the Borough should acquire the lighting of the town and have it in their own hands—- - Applause from Cr Masters). It was an absolute necessity in his opinion. Cr Masters had dwelt on the fact that the committee had had the mattor under consideration for twelve months, and had not reported to the Council until the present meeting. That statement was not quite cor•oot—it had not been before them anything like twelve months. Cr 'Masters: Question. Cr Richards said that if Cr Masers, would read the papers laid on tl, o table he would find that Messrs Climie and Sou (from whom the Council was obtaining a report on the matter) stated they were doing,, thenbest. but owing to some of their staff having gone to the war, they were unable to present the Viformation required. In face of this, the committee should not be blamed for giving '■'titiide to the firm. He did not

L hink Cr blasters would condemn them under the circumstances. and if tlio firm were not to blame, bow could lie condemn the committee foi the belated report? It was quite certain, in regard to tbe mileage in Peilding, that Cr Masters bad made mistake. He bad evidently omitted Hie mileage (20 miles'! of. street lighting. Probably Cr Masters would admit bis mistake. Cr Masters: I will admit it. Cr Richards: As to committing the future Council to tbe expenditure of about £19,000, it must be remembered that the Feilding installation was a good one. He would be pleased if Stratford could be installed for £ll,000 but this was in tbe bands of tbe Council. He did not wish to make a comparison between tbe Feilding installation and tbe present Stratford installation. The point was hat if Stratford bad an installation dke Feilding at a cost of £II,OOO be would be very pleased, but If it cost £SOOO of £6OOO more, Stratford could staiul'Tt.i 1 'Although in a degree the resbhifion was committing'the Council to (hat expenditure, it did not follow that the future Council was bound to go on with it; ami whether they tied heir bands or not, it did not for one minute follow that the next Council hould take a poll. Cr Masters: Not at all. Cr Richards: It means that they should take the proper steps, after ascertaining what it required, to proceed to pul in hand such measures as will load ultimately to an installation like Feilding. Cr Thompson asked il the committee went into tbe question of whether the Council could put in a plant, and whether they would bo within the law. The Mayor said they had certain ■niormatiou in the office showing that ohe Council could supply their own street lighting and possibly energy in other directions, hut whether they hould take advantage of the powers they had was another matter.. Or Thompson: 1 mean in a general sense. Can we put up a plant ourselves ? Cr Richards: Certainly. The Mayor: According to the information we have in the office, wo can, and that is from a veiy high ■Authority. Cr Thompson: How many consumers has Feilding? The Mayor: Well—the plant has just been installed ; there is a population of 1000. Cr Thompson: Is the plant sufficient to meet the requirements of the whole Borough ? The Mayor; The committee are not experts, hut we assumed so ; of course, in the future as the demand increased, they would require more plant. The committee in its report made provision for the duplication in the case of Stratford.

Cr Fredric said Feilding already had made arrangements to supply requirements outside the Borough. Cr Boon said all agreed that Stratford should go in for their own plant Whether they took over the company’s plant or not, they wanted an up-to-date one. The committee had spent a good deal of time in getting information. All were unanimous that a Beisel plant he the one.

I As to a. water system, the report ol 1 Messrs Climie and Son had shown that the great cost put it beyond their reach altogether. The fact remained that the Feikling plant cost £II,OOO. He was one of the party to inspect it., and he "recognised that the plant was the most suitable, being standardised by the Government. There was 70 miles of wiring put up, and covered by the sum of £11,0(10, anil the money had not yet been all spent, ft was not pretended that the whole of Feikling was being lighted by the plant, as there was gas in competition with it. They had one 100 hp Dei.se! engine, and were making provision for another 100 hp. engine, which would duplicate the power and provide same for a considerable time. Cr Boon said he considered this was the system they should go in for m Stratford. Whatever was done with ~he company, it would not he wise to spend money on a plant which uas out-of-date. Some of the plant was all right, but he was satisfied that a system similar to Feikling was a good one. Cr Boon mentioned that Pahiatua was going in for something similar. As to the resolution, ho did not tliink it would tie the hands of the incoming Council, they could altei it

if they saw fit to do so. Cr Thompson said he was not going to condemn any system. As to the Deisel engine, there was no need to go outside Stratford to inspect that. Ho did not know if the committee had" asked the permission of the company to inspect it, it might have been done as far as he knew. It was a great mistake in the first place to put on the committee a maiority of the members of the Council. The question should be handled by two or three. He had made a protest before, and would do so again. He endorsed Cr. Masters’ remarks in regard to bringing up the report at the tail-end of the" Council. The, new Council might not see tit to go on with it. Never before had such an important matter as this been lett to the last meeting of the Council. He agreed, however, that the committee was not to blame. Theife was Messrs Climie and' Sou’s report and other

matters over which they had no control. The question was. whether the commtitee had not been misled as to the cost of* the installation in Feilding. Feilding was very small. Cr. Richards: Question! Cr, Thompson: I mean as to area. Cr. Richards; Question! The Mayor; it is larger than Stratford —only 3500 acres! Cr. Thompson: What I meant by the area was the area to he covered by the supply. The mileage covered in Feilding would n'ot be nearly so far as would be required in Stratford pthe cost would run into many thousands of pounds more for Stratford. He bad lived in\Feildiug and he knew what he was’ talking about. There was no doubt the committee had been misled. Coming to the legal position, Cr. Thompson considered it should be threshed out thoroughly. He doubted whether the ratepayers would ho satisfied to take over the local plant. Looking at the question all round, lie thought they had gone a stop too far in putting forward the last clause, throwing the responsibility on the new Council, especially considering the state of the monej market at the present time. Ci. Thompson said, in conclusion, lie would oppose the motion, f Cr. Mori son endorsed the remark* of those speakers who were in favm of the resolution. It was unfortunate that Cr. Masters should throw the blame on tbe committee for having a late report. Cr. Morison said he did not believe any blame was attachable to the committee; and at any rate, better late than never. The committee were absolutely nnanimonf that the system suggested was the best. Cr. Thompson here interjected. Cr. Richards: T rise to a point of order. It is very unfair to the speakers that these interjections should occur. The Mayor: The Council has got [into a very bad practice in this respect. It is very disconcerting tc speakers to have to stand a running fire of interjections. Cr. Masters: It is quite right if a man makes a mistake and says what is wrong; one has no other chance ot correcting him. Cr. Thompson : Who was making a running fire? Cr. Morison, proceeding, said the point was the new Council would not bo bound to erect a plant the next week or the next year, but to take the necessary steps to that end in a year or even four years. It was not the intention to put a line to run in competition with the existing Company, but, rather, to let them put their term iu, and then take up the running; in fact, to pave the way to that end. He would hesitate to support the resolution if he believed the new Council would take steps to go right on. The committee bad been slow, but not unnecessarily slow, and he had no intention of blaming them; they had done their best under the circumstances. All the resolution meant was that the Council would take the necessary steps. Cr. Masters: With your permission. Your WorshipCr. Morison: I am going to object to Cr. Masters speaking so often. The Mayor: ! think Cr. Masters should he permitted to reply to statements. Cr. Masters: His Worship said that according to information in this office, wo can light the town while the company is running. Is that so? The Mayor: The report of Mr .Martin, adviser to the Municipal Corporations Association, says the covenant is ultra vires—that the concession should not have been given.

Cr. .Masters: That is not so. Can the Council erect poles while the pane’s poles are there ? The .Mayor: ITidoubtedly! I iiquestionably ! Ci-. Masters; Von know as well as I do you could not (ind places to put them. I'lidercronnd is the only place you could put them. Proceeding, Or. Masters said that speaker alter speaker had practically said what they did not mean.

Cr. Kredric: 1 object to it being said that 1 said something I did not mean. Cr. Masters: I will explain. Cr. Richards said the report meant not to take a poll, but to make preparations; but it said distinctly and plainly “instal.” What does that mean but to take a poll and purchase the plant:’ You can’t get away from it. Had it been with a “view” to purchase, it would be a diiforent matter altogether. Then von say you did not mean that. I really do not think von do mean it.—-(lronical laughter from the opposite side of the table). Don’t think for a moment, that the incoming Council will take it into consideration. Cr. Morison : That is, the necessary steps. Cr. Masters: Then, why not move in those terms? Cr. Thompson: How much longerj lias the present Company to run? Tiie Mavor: Four and a-half years.

CV. Richards, replying to Cr. blasters, said lie assured him ho did mean it, and that the incoming Council should proceed with all despatch in the matter. The present concern had .(• years to run, and as lar as the statement about the money market being tight was concerned, that was all the more reason why the matter should ho taken in hand Jortliwith. It would take some time to got the necessary information. That was the first stop, and with it they should come to a decision as to what plant should ho put in; then a poll would be taken. Following that, it would take two years to distal the system. Cr. Richards said ho supported the resolution in all sincerity. Dealing with the legal aspect rtf the question, Cr. Richards-; speaking from memory, said the deed of concession did not purport or imply that the company had a sole right to supply ordinary current and therefore the Council had an undoubted legal right to supply and sell ordinary current at any time. Iho deed of concession, however, did purport to give the company a sole right to supply current for street lighting, but as the Council had not the power to grant same, this was ultra vires. Such was Mr Martin’s definite opinion, which any Councillor who chose to take the trouble could read. Even as a layman, in* (Cr Richards) said the position seemed perfectly clear. The deed of concession said that it was the intention of the corporation to give them the street lighting, as it did not provide for same; but this was ultra vires—-they had no right to contract themselves out of that right. The Mayor said ho thought Cr. .Masters was unnecessarily alarmed. Cr. Masters: 1 want to put you right.

The .Mayor said the essence of the report was to get the Council to adopt the system in use in Codding. Apart from that, there was nothing to show the actual cost of the plant to he installed. Cr. Masters: No! No! ' The -Mayor said it was a recommendation to the incoming Council. The committee had gone into the question exhaustively, and had discussed hydro-electric power, suction power, Deisel, and steam, and they were unanimous that the Deisel was the proper plant. Cr, -Morison : Is it the intention to purchase all the company’s plant? Cr. Masters: Certainly not. The Mayor said that if there was any of the plant that fitted in with the system installed hy the Council then, well and good, they would buy it. Would anyone, he asked, in view of Messrs Climie’s report, recommend the purchase in toto of the Company’s plant ? Cr. Thompson: Have you examined it ?

The Mayor said the committee had not. He himsell had seen it. r i he Feilding plant was of a. later date. He was not condemning the Deisel engine at Stratford at all. The committee sincerely hoped that the incoming Council would adopt the recommendation. The steps to he taken will he covered hy what was thought necessary when the matter was being considered hy the new Council. It might not he necessary to take all the steps at once, hut, as time v.rtit on, there would he some now and others as time went on, hut they would eventually instil I the plant in its entirety. Cr. Masters mentioned that a certain sum had been stated. The Mayor: Hut wo do not recommend that amount. Cr. Thompson: -More! The Mayor: Hut then we will have more power. The plant will he a standardised one, up to date, and a modern one. There is no question about that. As to a majority of the members of the Council being on the committee— Cr. Thompson: Fnhiassed!

The Mayor: I can see no objection to them ; they discussed the matter in an unbiassed way. r l lie committee's report Ims pot to be adopted. Cr. Thompson interjected, and the discussion became irregular, Cr. Thompson making very clear that ho objected to the majority committee, which was absurd on tiie lace ol it. Cr. I'Tedric said it was a waste ol time discussing the report. Cr. Masters said those Councillors who voted lor it would he pledged to it in the incoming Council. Cr. Thompson (ironically): It is a, recommendation ! The Mayor: Of course it is. How can it he otherwise? As to the legal position, there was no use discussing

1 it. There was no use having an academic discussion—the opinion was in black and white in the office. The Council was in a position from which it could not be shifted. He was sorry the company and the Council had not , before now come to an agreement, but it was not the fault of the Council. I The Committee should be given credit for what it had done. 1 Cr. Masters moved as an amendment that the whole question be held 1 over for the consideration of the next Council. He wanted them to dispossess. their minds that ho was inter-

ested regarding the purchase of the present light. He did not care if the whole affair wont down the river; it might be a very good thing—Dcisel engine and all—if it did—(Laughter). He said nothing aaginst the Feilding plant, but it was really too late in the day to pass a resolution of the kind. 'l’ho fact remained that if it were passed, the Council could turn round and purchase three Deisel engines—there was nothing to prevent it. Cr. Thompson ; That is so—a majority committee again!

Cr. Masters: It would lie a wise tiling if we held it over. Cr. Thompson seconded the amendment. Ho said the whole discussion was a waste of time. Ho was only seconding the amendment as a protest. There was a majority committee against them, hut he took the opportunity of protesting again. He asked what was the use of mom hers discussing it. The last clause was clear-cut and definite on installing the plant. They had been getting round tlio question. Ho Hold no brief for the Company, but lie protested against putting the new Council iu such a. position. Then, again, what amounu of damages would ho due to the Company? The legal position, ho considered, was a very serious one. He considered the committee had gone too

The Mayor: Cr. Masters said that the Council could turn round and purchase two Deiscl engines—of course they could, and they could purchase two elephants if they liked! r 'y. Richards: To-night too! rue -Mayor said the Council wore not so foolish; they must look at it from a commonseuse point of view. Further explanation by the Mayor drew from Cr. Thompson the interjection “Hedging!” The Mayor: Not at all. I am simply repeating what I said before. If you do not understand it, Cr. Thompson, that is your fault! Surely 1 am speaking plain English! It would be futile to simply recommend it to the new Council. 1 want them to have the benefit of the work of this committee. The resolution should lie carried to-night and go forward to the new Council.

Cr. Richards, speaking to the amendment, protested against the remarks about the majority committee. The lighting committee was not the only majority committee of the Count oil. There was the works as well as the finance committee.

Replying to an interjection by Cr. Thompson, Cr. Richards said the setting up of the committee was the act of the Council, and if- they chose to set them no in that way they had a perfect right to do so. It did not follow that the findings of those majority committees were always unanimous; the assistance of other members ofothc Council could he obtained if possible to defeat the aims of the committee. It was a question of tho subject having merit enough to merit unanimity—“though Cr. Thompson might sneer at it,” lie added. Your Worship, 1 rise to a point of order! Cr. Thompson: I did not sneer! Cr. Richards: No! Yon are interjecting ! Cr. Thompson repeated that he did not sneer.

Cr. Morison protested, and Cr. Thompson said once more he did not sneer. Cr. Richards said that Cr. Thompson stated iii one breath he , did not sneer, and as he sat down, well, if he did nob sneer, he (Cr. Richards) would like to know what a sneer was. As far as ho was concerned, it was a sneer. He was quite capable of being convinced in any argument, and if they could convince him that he was wrong he would admit it. He hoped the amendment would not he canoed, and the motion pul before the new Council in as forcible a maimer as possible. Cr. Kredrie said every member of the committee was of the same mind.

Cr. Thompson: It is a happy little clique! The Mayor: When you say that you relied upon me! Cr. Fredric: Jt is not fair to the committee*. The members of the committee are not fools! Cr. Fredric said the committee considered the report was brought down in the best interests of Stratford. They did not want to shirk their responsibilities. Cr. Thompson’s remarks meant they wore a lot of shirkers. He did not care whether it was the hist meeting; they had come to a unanimous conclusion, and had done their duty to the ratepayers.

Cr. Morison reminded Cr. Thompson that often the works committee brought down recommendations on a majority of one. Those on the Council against the recommendation could join with the minority members of the committee and defeat it. “1 am surprised at yon, Cr. Thompson.” Cr. Thompson: I am not surprised! The amendment was then put and lost, the division list reading:—For : Crs. Masters and Thompson ; against : The Mayor, and Crs. .Morison, llicliards, Fredric and Boon. The motion for the adoption ol the report was then put and carried, the voting being the same on each side.