THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 316, 15 January 1908, Page 4

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

The electrical engineer reported to Monday's meeting of the New l'l > mouth llorougli Council as follows: I'ower-house—Except for some adjustments the erection of the new 90-k.w. alternator exciter and switchboard have ' now been completed. The machines were given (he necessary tests on arti-1 lieial loiid. and on December 28th were put into .service. Since that date they have been in daily use in conjunction with one of the 45-k.w. machines, iloth machines run well, and rellect great credit on Mr Sandilands, who had charge Of their erection. We have not been able to make use of the governors, so are working the new machine on fixed load and governing with the 45-k.w. machine. 1 have communicated with Messrs Turnbull and Jones on this matter, and expect thpir representative here shortly. I have certified to £3OO on their account, leaving £lsl 10s until the governors and resistances are arranged.

Hie poles which were removed from Liardet street for lowering the load to the Recreation Grounds have rrplaeed, the top one being placed just inside the gates.

Two sample Xornst lamps which wore ordered from England have to hand, and one lias been erected at the main gate to the Recreation Grounds, llie other is being fixed temporarily at the baths. Ihe poles 011 the Vogeltown line have been put back to the new line of kerhing where the road lias Is'en widened.

Private lighting lines have been extended for new connections in Fulford street and Vivian street West. Jh 11. King has been interviewed in regard to lighting, lie asks for six lights. The cost of a line from the power-hou„e to Mr King's house will lie a bom £l<>. It of course, understood that we do not give any guarantee as t„ voltage there *-111 be considerable variations at this point.

It is advisable that when there is no one at the sub-station, those at the power-house «!,o„Ul be ab| e to comnmninnl i i" S tOWn " Tl,is "* n k ' sl |JC! nanaged by connecting „ iy residence by telephone. Good second-hand telephones can be procured from the Telegraph IV partnient f or about i.£l each. I would recommend that two of these be pro Short lel, e th " f «-ire wilf be Sinn v° nnCCt th(? ,10USC an J station. Now that the new plant is n use I would advise as a means 0 f wilding up the day load that the Conn- # procure a few radiators, flat iron" kettles, etc., s0 that anv prospective Zl t uV '"7- he s "l'l' lip 'l at once. It 'night be advisable to keep one or two *»w" motors in stock also. M v reason for advising this is that, the lor-.il wirine tin™ f ho!d ® n - v stock °f these fittings. Some revenue might lie obtainr from charging accumulators if the Council would procure a small motor <1 dynamo for the purpose We ire continually having eli.ufries for diargas no on ?M °, r ?°- tor and ""Cles, as no one cjso Is doing that here nv are frequently asked by customers to supp y them with lamps, n tle mna) custom for electric I,Vj, t : h : h rrz d hy p rivat « « o m l ,od w' Se " tan, l» f « theircus tomers. _ We have not done so. as I l, avP no from the Coune on the quest'on Evcn if w# ( , 0 «« X t,IP laCt of °" r "olding ? nfl "I? prepared to supply would be n guarantee that, lamps would * snpplied nt a fair price. Tnmr o new n r. f"' 0 ' ,mt an * JwM- * on this line iiaq our department, and we should be able to control prices of supplies. . privat(, «""-«tions •ind further applications are oil hand Xj* f ° r prim ' €'l3o 13b PaSt mo,lth amo »nt to The report was referred t 0 the Klccl trie. Lighting Committee fo r consider.-

THE DOG-TAX. ,hv t Cuuudl ou Ft" 1 "'" was read from a liunam If and inhabitanU ot Xew ilyiuouth, pointing ( , u t thai tile charge of teu shillings per Head toi the registration of dogs is verv excessive, and deals very harshly with* per=ons who own dogs, especially those de f"' OUi Ceding and in, Roving ,t breed of dog iu the borough." Tire „e----tuiouers admitted Dial the nuisance caused by uncarcd-lor dogs was a serious one, but trusted that some oilier means »lould be adopted in dealing .with til• bTpim^ed." 111 on, »- wuuld ltev. Dean ileKenna wrote, uiid;V the date ol January 13th< "vUlow me to express my astonishment at your proposal to impose a tax of ten shillings each on all dogs nitliiu the borough, irrespective ot breed or quality. 1 thiuk the tax an utterly exorbitant one, and probably without parallel in. the colony Vou'r action in levying such a tax last year gave rise U) much severe lominent and criticism, and 1 should not be surprised, if the same course it' followed for the present year, to Jim! a public comlemmtion of the Borough Council's action in tins matter.''

Cr. Browne asked if it were possible to re-eind tlie resolution 01' last nieetiii". lhe -Mayor said there was no obi>v-3 lion. ( r. l'rownc said he would move, then, that the dog-tux should be ten sliillingsj as iixed at last meeting, reducible to live shillingH if paid liy ;)lst .March. Ci. Kellringcr rose to a point of order. There was U<J authority for ti.viii" a sliding scale. ' ° Councillors: inglewood and Stratford do it. Councillor Collis could not sec how the Council could alter its rate, which had been tixed and duly advertised. Cr. Mills considered the ten shillings tax excessive. and thought the system or reduction for prompt payment should lie adopted. Cr. ISoou supported the motion. lie knew the practice was in in the Stratford county. 'IV Mayor said lie would lake llie motion, and submit the matter to the solicitor before putting any resolution into effect, ' •«?> Cr. Mcllringer said that in Xapicr the Court had held that there could he no variation of the rates during the vear.l He aNo ipiestioned whether the resoluof the previous meeting could be rescinded without notice. The Mayor overruled the objection. Cr. Collis said that one dog-owner considered the high rate practically an insurance against the dog-poisoner. * The Mayor said that, nevertheless he had lost .1 very valuable dog by poisoning during the period of the higher tax. The motion was put and carried. Aye*: Cns. Hoon. Coleman. West, Mills, 7?rowne, ami the Mayor. Xoes: Crs. Hellriuger. Colli-. Morev. and C'attley.