THE ELECTRIC LIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 57, 14 March 1907, Page 2

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT

WHAT THE SYSTEM COSTS. The Borough Council's electric lighting committee, had some trouble 'on Monday niglit in proving—or trying to prove—to some unbelieving colleagues on the Council that their order for a little over £720 worth of material Mould not overburden the loan authorised. Vai' : 'jus councillors had, various ideas on the subject. The Mayor uiibei.ltatii.gly declared that the committee was spending more than could be provided out of the loan, whilst the chairman of (lie committee was equally emphatic in the other direction. Ihe question whether or not the installation can he made to pay lias ugaiu been raised. figures at our disposal show that the permanent salaries and wages of the electric lighting department apart, from the clerical assistance given, by Uie Town Clerk's otliee, aiflount to £853 His, of which £3, IS is paid to the stall" of three at tin* power house, and l«s to the town stall' of lour. Interest on £12,000 at 4t/, per cent, has to lie reckoned, amounting to £*>4o, and repairs and renewals can ' Safely he written at €11)0. This brings the total annual expense to £149;!, or £ISOO in round numbers. Against this, street lighting brings in £4OO a year, the harbor is expected to give another £IOO revenue, and taking the private lighting for next year at the high average of £75 per month, •UJUO a year, we have prospective re venue £I4OO a year. The biggest earning in any month to date was £sl) ISs in August last, from !)(i consumers, and the lowest CSO odd in January from about 150 consumers. Veliruary produced £OB odd from 154 consumers. Basing an estimate on these figures i'. would scciu that the borough l'ghting system lias not far to go before it is self-supporting. It should be mentioned, though, that the £IOO from the harbor line is only to be derived because of the late loaii authorisation, pnd when this money is obtained the electric light account will have a further £450 per annum to pay in interest. There is every reason, therefore, why the committee and the engineer should "go slow" in the matter of expenditure unless there is fair prospect of a good return on outlay.