HOW TO LIGHT IT?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1058, 22 February 1911, Page 6

HOW TO LIGHT IT?

HOSPITAL MATTER. BOARD TAKE CERTAIN STEPS.' The lighting Committee of the Hospital Board has not yet conie to a decision as to the respective merits of gas and electricity. At yesterday's meeting, the following report from the committee to the board was adonted without comment:—

"Tho committeo begs to.report that it has made arrangements for as completo tests as possible to be made to ascertain the actual cost of heating and lighting respectively in all branches of the hospital, also a test as to cost of. heating water in one ward by electricity, and that the committee will meet again as soon as tho results of these tests are available." Mr. Kirk's Proposals. "The lighting question came again under review when Mr. R. C. Kirk (chairman of the Hospital Committee) moved:— : "That the services of a consulting engineer be retained to advise all .- departments of the board's service on engineering and allied subjects, and that a committee consisting ot the chairman, Messrs. Trevor,;Robertson, and tho mover bo appointed to arrange such retainer." Supporting his motion, Mr. Kirk expressed the opinion that the .'services of a consulting- engineer were absolutely necessary to an institution which had so much machinery as the Hospital Board. In referenco to the consumption of coal, tho running of freezing, sterilising, and hot-water machinery, etc., tho advice of an expert would bo of the utmost value. If such an officer were appointed, at about .£SO a year, he would save the board.the amount of his salary over and over again. Mr. London: Would he look after the Mr. "liirk: He would advise the committee. One Way of Surmounting .the Trouble. Mr. London moved as an amendment that this matter be held over,-pending, the submission of a renort to the board by its Lighting Committee. A solution of the .'problem relegated to the. committee (viz., deciding as. to whether gas or electricity should be adopted for lighting the hospital) might be found in the board producing its own electricity. If a mechanic had to be employed for this purpose, ho could do tho work proposed to be done by a consulting engineer. Mr. Smith claimed that Mr. London had supplied a reason for adopting the report immediately. If they were to have an expert, ho should be obtained at once. An expert might be in a position to say which was the- better light, and whether it would pay the board to produce electricity to "meet its own requirements. Mr. Gbdber suDDortcd the amendment; The machinery and appliances owned by the board were at present controlled efficiently by its own staff. If an expert were employed he might' possibly find work that would run the board into a great deal of expense. .". , Tho Rev. H. Van Staveren said ttat. although a member of the Lighting Committee,, he had not heard it suggested that the board should produce its own electricity. He did not know why. any member should entertain such a thought. ' Mr. Robertson endorsed the motion. The small sum represented by the salary of a supervisor would be well spent. Expert Adviser to be Obtained. Mr. Kirk stated that there was a great deal in what Messrs. Smith and London had said about the' board generating its own electricity. As to its having' come before, the committee, it had not got to that stago yet, but it came very far into tho general • question of lighting: The speaker had been informed that tho board could generate its own electricity at a very much less- coat than tuo council would supply it for. -. - ■ ; : The amendment was rejected on a vote rby. eight votes to^six;; , ,;';;' "It' seems'to me,"' remarked Mr\ London, at this stage, "that we have only. to affirm this motion and somebody (who had been named) will get the job. I think the position should be advertised.'" The chairman .and other members said this was a matter for the sub-committee. Mr. Kirk's original motion, providing for the employment,of an expert adviser, was carried on the voices. - .