ELECTRIC LIGHT FOR JOHNSONVILLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 773, 23 March 1910, Page 5

ELECTRIC LIGHT FOR JOHNSONVILLE.

CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS IT. A recommendation in, the report of the Power Stations and Tramways Committee, presented to the City Council last evening, read as follows: — That an offer bo made to the Johnsonvillo Town Board to supply electricity in bulk at the boundary of the town, at the charge of ■ 6d. per unit, the board to carry out its own installation. The Mayor (Dr. Newman) moved the adoption of the report, with this clauEe included. Councillor Luke remarked that the council, in undertaking this work, was interfering with private enterprise. He was not speaking of the matter because he was connected with the borough in another way—it was a principle he wished to be followed. If the council supplied electricity in bulk, the borough would have to employ a competent man to carry out the installation, and look after it.

Tie Mayor: We could arrange that matter.. ■

. Councillor Luke': I hope you will, sir.

Proceeding, Councillor Luke expressed a desire to see the clause reconsidered by the Tramways Committee.

!> Councillor Frost" moved that the, clause be referred back to the committee. ■■ ...

Councillor. Smith said that the proposal had been fully considered in committee, but he had no "objection to its going back for further consideration. If the, council was to go as' far as it had been asked to go— io borrow money for the purpose of carrying out the works of an adjacent borough—it would be. undertaking a greater task than it ought to attempt. SjThe Johnsonvillo Town Board was not in a position to do the work itself, and the council had no knowledge as to when tho money proposed to be expended would be repaid. The council had an overdraft at present, but if a satisfactory arrang-ment-could be made, he had no objection to assisting the Johneonville people to obtain bettor lighting. Councillor Fitzgerald remarked that there had been an exhibition of somersaulting on tho. part of councillors. "Who were present at the committee meeting?" he asked. "Was there a quorum?" ' \ ' ' Councillors: Yes, there were five.

Councillor Fitzgerald went on to say that none of the committee members, who had decided to make the offer to Johnsonville, had had the courage to support the contention which they had advocated. They all desired that it should go back to the committee again. "If I had attended a-committee meeting," concluded Councillor Fitzgerald, "and had already decided upon a course of action, I would be prepared to stand by it." The recommendation of the committee was referred back for further consideration. ■ r • '