ELECTRIC LIGHTING SCHEME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 27 February 1907, Page 2

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SCHEME

SOME SPAKKS IN THE COUNCIL. At tlie Borough Council meeting on Monday night, Cr. Bellringer complained of the alleged unbusinesslike ineth-' ods of the Electric Lighting Committee. One instance was in regard to the street lighting in Vogeltown. Ihe Council liad authorised the expenditure of £4OO to take the light; up C'amngtoii road, and it loomed tliei only return would be from about 2f> private consumers. The Council had been told that the people wanted tlie illuiiiinant for the streets, but he ha I learned from the report oif a meetin'_' of ratepayers in the locality that gas was /favoured. Had the [committee received any guarantee from the Partington Road Hoard before putting the borough to this expense, or bad the whole thing been arranged by word of mouth?

Cr. Monteath, chairman of the committee, said the overtures had beea made by the 1 Vogeltown people, who afterwards found tlicy had no legal power to spend money on street lighting, and the extension of the lines was now for private consumers only, until of course, the necessary authority was given the Road Board to incur this expenditure. The Council bad never been guaranteed the Vogeltown street lighting. Cr. Ilellringer was of the contrary opinion, arguing that the extension would never have beWn granted without something oif the kind. He went on to complain of the absence of any definite agreement between tlio Council and the harbour board. He had it on good authority that in the last tew days there had been every chance of the harbour lighting scheme falling through entirely. Cr. Jlontfcath mildly suggested that. Cr. Hellringer did not, know what he was talking about, and that he should make due enquiries before uttering 1 bese remarks.

Cr Beliringer had not finished, however, for ire went 011 to complain of the lighting of the town. On a recent Sunday morning the lights were burning at seven o'clock, whilst, on the other side, the lights'were feluit oJV on Sunday, 24th mat. a very dark jiight. Air Black, electrical engineer, denied the allegation that the street lights were burning at seven o'clock on any Sunday morning. rv» ° Cr. Beliringer jumped to h's feet and nainily challenged the statement. He had seen the light burning opposite Ins house, and he could brine; witnesses to prove it.

Mr Black: When Mr Beliringer lias Imislied I'll go on. again tho councillor challenged the engineer's statement, which Mr Blaek , erated, explaining that on a Monday morning the lights had burned til seven o clock, but it was onlv beeniNe uie young man who should have turned them out was ill, and had not sent any notice of the fact. A s for thcomplaint thai th<f were irnjt burning at a very late hour on this last Sunday night, he said he could not be expected to watch for the clouding over the skies on bright mooiili«lii nights. Of course, it was wi.hin the province of the Council to engage » thai, if thought necessary Cr Beliringer: Yes, we need to in' erase the staff a little more Cr Wilson said that he wanted an explanation, too. Tn the list of pri vnte lighting stock he noticed a motor, which had been paid for by the Council', and which lie had been assured 011 a

prevtjoiifj occasion wajs private! (pron- ' 'nr' ™^ n * lt <l,c same motor? Mf Black saicf it was the idcntica: moloi Ue himself had been responsible for getting it out, but, on the recommendation of the late chairman p J. tflkc " possession of it, Mr l.roofcmg being of opinion that it would I" rather useful as an advertisement, Mr Black said lie had now ordered :imil,her motor for his own um> Cr. Wilson: "Weil, I protest again,!, it. hither the engineer or the chairman of Hie committee, one or the other, has been in default in not ment : oning this at the Council table. When I mentioned this matter before on the "'•count coming forward for payment, . th the enginceri and O. Brookintr jumped to their feet in an attempt to liloek me, and explained the motor was private property, even though it showed on Ihe accounts that were being passed by the Council on tile certiorate nt (he engineer. Yet this motor ; s now placet! to the credit of the Council, and the account wliieh was passed on that occasion has beery purposely overlooked.. 1 don'i quarrel with the amount involved—it's only i matter of £5 6/ —but the principle is dishonest.

There was a solid silence for a minute or so, then the Mayor tactfully switched on the eurve.nt again to Yngcltown topics, explaining that the Koad Board tshcflnld haivje the necessary power.

Cr Browne stated the existence o* a letter to the Council from tile Viv geltown vesidents, agreeing to 'iake electric light for the streets. The Town Clerk doubted it, hut on Cr. Brown practically demanding a search for 4he letter, positive of hi. correctness, the file was turned up ami no swell letter found.

The discussion then pelered oul