ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 27 May 1914, Page 2

ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT.

ANNUAL REPORT, j The following is, ithe annual report of the Town Clerk to the New Plymouth Borouglh Council 0 n the working' of the electric light department:— I am pleased to :be a,ble to report that there has been a substantial increase both in the nuMber of units aoirfi and in 'the number of new consumi; s, and consequently there Ih&fv l K en a ytxmponding increase in the rcveiiiu:. A perusal of the accounts will, however, show that the net profits for the year only amount to £7O K)s [ld. against £1207 6s 7d for (Jlie previous year. This is mainly due to .Mie fact that for various reasons we have not yet been ablo to obtain the full benefit of the expen diture of the £12,000 loan raised k«t year. The raising of itihis loan will mean an increase of £O6O in the annual charges for interest and sinking fund. For the past year the extra expenditure for the two items mentioned amounted tto £473 5s 6d. The installation of additional plant and other capital expenditure has also entailed' an ad- i ditional allowance for depreciation, and this amounted to £413 12* 9d for the year. These -two sums of £473 5s 6d and £413 12s 9d, totalling £BBO 18s 3d, more than make up the £505 15s lOd decrease in 'the net profit shown for the year as «>mpareid| with the previous year. Dealing with the installation of additional plant the electrical engineer <n his annual report states: "When the new intake, alt present in • course of construction, is ctampleted and more water tlhus available for use, the present machinery should be capable of supplying the requirements of lighting, power, hearting and tramways, and still leave a fair margin for reserv-s." Notwithstanding therefore tliait the net profit is not as great as the amount shown last year the position is still a satisfactory one. The net profit is less, but on the other hand the improvements effected) are snob that sufficient electrical energy will be availab'e for the tramways when installed, and for new consumers for BOme time to come. These however, merely refer to the generation of electricity, and must not be construed to mew.that nto additional capital expenditure wHI be rec\:ired to enable ithe department to supply the tramways with the power required I understand that very heavy expenditure will be necessary, ,for wliich no provision has yet been made. As far as I can gather these at present comprise:

New transmission line 3000 New sub-station building, and substation switchboards and 1 transformers 5500 Repayment of moneys advanceo? and to be advanced by the Council on a/c of the new intake, say 3500 Alteration to lines, say 3000 £15,000 With regard to the new substation a certain proportion »f the cost will be charged against the hut lvha.t proportion has not y«t been fixed. In this connection it may perhaps be found advisable, in order to obviate the disadvantages of dual control, for the electric light department -to bear the whole cost of the buildings, making a corresponding increase in the charge few current consumed in running the tramways. However, it is apparent that the department,in the near future will have to provide for a very la no capital expenditure. The amount is (-inch that the whole of it cannot possibly be provided for out of the revenue, and the council should) at the earliest possible date oonsidler the qui attoa o* wising a new loan.