THE BANQUET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8033, 20 January 1906, Page 2

THE BANQUET.

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. THE COST OF THE WORK. At tlie Council Chambers in (he Town Hall, a very representative company, numbering over tifty guests, sal down around (he sumptuously slocked banqui'tling tallies provide I by ihe Brush 0 mipany. Mr Macs, manager of the company, presided, and the vice-chair was occupied by Ihe Mayor, accompanied by tin- Mayoress, the Chairman was supported on his left by Mr H. M, Smith, M.H.R.. Mr Dockrill (exMayor), and Mr Brooking, Chairman of the Klcctric Lighting Committee. The Usual loyal toasts having been honoured, Mr Haes proposed "Success to the hlectriv Lightiugol the Borough of New Plymouth." The machinery had now been set in mot ion, and t hat night for the first time on record, New Plymouth was brilliantly lighted by electricity. He hoped it would continue to burn as brightly fir many years to come. Without being egotistical lie might say that the plant was one of Ihe best in New Zealand. There might ln> some more elaborate, but there was certainly nothing more up-to-date. lie believed the people would speedily recognise that they hid a splendid installation, controlled by expert ollicials, and controlled by good municipal management (Applause) The success of t he venture depended on the ratepayers themselves, in the liberality to which (hey extended their support, ft cost no more to run the plant at ils full capacity than at half pressure, and the more call there was on Ihe power house, (he heller would the result be, nulerially and financially, lie concluded by wishing the municipality every success in its undertaking. (Applause),

> His Worship the Mayor in respond-. ■ ing said there had been much inquiry I of late as to the probable cost of the i light lo customers. In Wellington 1 the cost was Is per unit, with a varying discount, the minimum charge lieiii" ' <>s per mouth before any discount was allowed. In New l'lyniouth the cost is to be Si] per unit, with a discount of 25 per cent, if paid before the 2otli of the month, the minimum charge being 2s lid per month. According to the Wellington graduated scale, a consumer had to use SW) units fo get the electricity at a net cost of ojd per unit. In New Plymouth the charges for power are to lie lid per unit with a discount of one penny if paid before tlie 25th of the mouth, the minimum charge being ;js. The papers had had a good ileal to say from time to time as to the cost of the works. One paper (ourselves) had staled the installation would cost CltjOOi). lu a way the work may have cost about that sum. However, lo make the cost up to that suii|, at least one-third (C2, lt)il) of the total cost of tho tunnel had to be charged to the cost of (he Klcctric. Lighting Works. If that sum was taken off, the net cost of the works was about £ll, till). Naturally the people would want to know what had made the work cost so much more than was originally estimated. When Mr Mestavcr was instructed some years ago lo prepare an estimate, he was told lo prepare one for 70 lights. Since then, however, there had been requests fur lights Irani all over Ihe low n, and (lie Council had extended the system until there were now one j hundred anil twenty-eight lights, or til) more than originally extended, costing oicrand above the original estimate about Clitio. The,distributing station, which originally was to have cost about CI I li I, was found to lie 100 small, and olllees and storerooms had been added, at mi extra rost of £250. The power house, which was estimated to eosl I Moo. had cost in reality £I2OO. Mr ■Ucstaver's original estimate 11' tiiiloo, i would, lie believed, be about doubled. ' Another item that had added to Ihe coat was interest, as interest on capital 1 for the first year had been added to I capital. Tlie questlou of private 1 lighting had not been provided for iu c

the original scheme, but the Council had now made provision for this at a cost of about £3do. lie estimated that the Council would be in debt on llio completion of the works by about £2OOO, which would have Io be provided for in a general way. lie did not think Dial would inconvenience the U.mneil to any considerable extent, as there would be a certain amount of revenue from the light. On low estimate I'-IV) per annum was anli''iplie I, which would go to piy interest. The more the people ine.l the light [lie easier il would lie to piy interest. anlwip'olV the deli,'it. As they probibly know l:7oilit was originally raised for the work, anil subsequently another l".!! 100 was asked for and sanctioned. It was then thought that the work would be carried out within these lijjures, but as lie had already indicated, I lie Council in response to requests made had found it. necessary to mala: extensions, and the people could not expect to have all these luxuries without paying for them, and ho trusted the time would soon come when il would be ncves< iry to enlarge the works In concluding he thanked Mr llacs for the pleasing ' function to which he and the company had been invited. (Applause). [ Cr. Brooking proposed " Health and ' Prosperity to the Contractors, the Brush Eieclrie Engineering Company, " and the sub-contractors, Messrs Steuart ' and Feun. Mr Haes responded." [ Mr Fenn responded on behalf of ] Messrs Steuart and Feun in a humorous ' speech. " A pleasant and enjoyable function ' then terminated.