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Supply to Local Authorities. Large extensions of the reticulation system have been carried out during the year by the ■Christchurch City Council, the Waimairi County, Lyttelton and Sumner Boroughs, and the Tai Tapu Dairy Company. The Kaiapoi Borough Council took over the reticulation within their boundary at the end of the financial year, The Eyre County, Rangiora County, and Rangiora Borough Councils arc installing reticulations, which will be put in service during the ensuing year. The Christchurch Drainage Board's sewerage pumping plant was converted to electric driving, the supply being given through the City Council. The change has effected a substantial reduction in the cost of pumping. The Sumner Borough waterworks pumping plant was converted from an oil-engine drive to an electric drive, and a contract was entered into for operating the Lyttelton Borough pumping plant, the electric supply being restricted to night service. Bulk-supply Consumers. A contract was entered into during the year with Messrs. Wadded and Sons for a supply of power for steel-smelting. A contract was completed with a syndicate for the supply of electric energy for the manufacture of caustic soda and hydrochloric acid. Arrangements were made during the year to supply the last of the tanneries and fellmongeries, seven in all, within reach of the existing power-lines. All five flour-mills in the area of supply are now being supplied with power from Lake Coleridge. A. supply to a seed-cleaning plant was effected during the year, the electric motor in this case replacing a suction-gas engine.

Electeic Vehicle Traction. Remarkably successful results have been obtained during the year in the application of the electric battery to road traction in Christchurch. There are now about twenty-live vehicles in regular commercial operation in the city, two electric lorries being in use by the Public Works Department and four by the Christchurch City Council. The rated mileage of fifty to sixty miles per day is being well maintained in practice, and the cost of running is proving less than half that of petrol. The advantage of electric-battery i ruction from an electric supply point of view is that the batteries arc charged during the night when the power plant is lightly loaded. This offers the possibility of a further improvement in the load factor, and the City Council are making preparations for developing the business on ;i very large scale.