WHARF LIGHTING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 7

WHARF LIGHTING.

■ EXIT CAS. HARBOUR .BOARD'S NEW SCHEME. •The decision of tho Harbour Board to light the wharves by electricity and to instal a plant for generating -the current is'a matter of considerable importance. At present tho wharves are lighted mainly by gas,'but also partly by electricity, the current, being obtained from the City Corporation. During the last financial year'the-cost of tho gas hurnt on the wharves was £1537 lis.. 2d., and the Wellington Gas Company also received from tie board the sum of £124 15s. 5d., for "maintenance of special service" on the wharves. ' Electric lighting, heating, and power for the city wharves during the same period cost the board £279 is. lid. . '

The system of electric lighting by means of -flame arc lamps on tho Glasgow Wharf was running throughout 'the. financial year. The then Acting-Engineer (Mr. E. D. Cachemaille) / reported that the electric current cost £137, and maintenance £73 10s.,'while depreciation, at 10 per cent., interest and sinking fund made up ariother £132. Thus the total 'annual'cost was £342 10s.. This was equivalent to 5.57 per lamp hour, or 2.78 penoe per nominal IUOO candlo-power' per hour. " This - compares more than favourably, continued Mr. Cachcraaille, "with" tho cost per candle-power per hour of the gas_installation on the rest of the board's wliajves. It is, not possible to keep statistics from which this cost can bo correctly ascertained in the case of the gas service, so the lights along Jervois Quay, which are on separate meters, 1 were t kept under, observation for about a fortnight, and from the information obtained . it : appears that tho cost 'of the including • the cost of tho gas consumed, mantles,' new globes, cleaning, etc., but excluding standing charges, is approximately [7d.' per. 1000 candle-power per hour.. This figure' is naturally not quite accurate, as the period over which the observations wore made was short, but it clearly shows that the present system of gas lighting, considered solely, that is, on the basis of the cost per .1000 candle-power, is not a one."

, ; lie Acting-Engineer, however, went on to refer to recent improvements in gas light-, ing,' whteh, . if', the manufacturers' figures could be relied'upon, would make gas even more economical than the electric flame arc. -Since this report was presented, the board liaa obtained advisory .reports, on wharf lighting from the Gas Company and from the City Mectrical Department, and finally the board's engineer, 'Mr; J. W. Marohbanks, has submitted a Confidential , report on the whole question," with'the . result that the board has- taken the moihontous decision to clear'out 'the gas and instil 'the electric light on all the city wharves, with power generated by a new plant of its own. No details of the scheme are\ available at present, but it is stated that it is not likely to be started immediately. It is also understood that the generating''plant. will be located, in proximity to the.: pumping station near the head of tho Glasgow; Wharf.