Lights on Lambton Quay

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 197, 18 May 1936, Page 10

Lights on Lambton Quay

Sir —Mr. Tremayne's letter on the above’subject, which you published .ill this morning's “Dominion.” was written, 1 feel, somewhat hastily. If he had stopped a while to think’over the implications of his expert photographers comment he might have paused before quoting it. It is certainly true that the picture on the left was from a negative "obviously under-exposed and lacking m detail.” but Mr. Tremayne and his photographer should have realised that under the guarantee given by the operator who took them the cause of this is due to one faet and one fact only, that there was not enough light under the old system to give a negative to compare with that with the new system. Mr. Tremayne also states that another factor is the property of the gaseous vapour lamp better to penetrate fog and mist. Surely that should be a factor strongly in favour of the new system of lighting? ’Leaving the question of the photographs aside, I would ask Mr. Tremayne one question. How many accidents to pedestrians have occurred in Lambton Quay since the new lighting was installed? He will find in that the final answer as to why there lights should not be superseded, even though they may .upset the looks of womenhood and force shopkeepers to light their windows more strongly.—l am, et< " ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER. Wellington, May 15. Sir, I am very much afraid that Mr. T O.’ Tremavne in his enthusiasm for Lambton Quay, has allowed his- feelings to run away with his judgment. Afte. the long and varied experience of Mr. Geor-e Lauchlan, the very worthy head of the electrical department, I, for one, cannot subscribe to the crude lay opinion of another on the subject of street lighting as compared with one who has been associated with the business ever since Wellington’s streets were electrically lit. Mr. Tremayne has seen fit to overlook the fact that Mr. Lauchlan quite simply and honestly said that his duty was to light the streets, not necessarily the shop windows in those streets, and probably there is no better lighted street in New Zealand than Lambton Quay. The efficacy of the mercury-vapour lamps as a street illuminant is borne out by every motorist, by Mr. L. S. Drake (chief traffic inspector), by the officials of the Automobile Association, and by many others, so that, as far as his duty lies as the chief official in charge of street lighting. Mr. Lauchlan can hardly be said to have in any way neglected his duty in installing these new lights. Rather docs he deserve credit for being the first to experiment with them in Now Zealand; and that after they had in a large measure justified themselves on several important highways in England. The difference of viewpoint is in the outlook of the man who wishes to sell a dress length of silk as against that, of the other who welcomes the approximation to daylight ns an aid to safe motoring in the city nt night. One of the recent deputations stated quite frankly that th° effect of the mercury vapour lamp could be lounteracted by using other forms of light. If that is so the council is surely not to be blamed for using the most brillimit and modern form of street ilinniinant in its principal streets. Rather should it be commended for its enterprise in illustrating the form of highway lighting that is 'finding so much favour in America, on the Continent and in the United Kingdom. , If the photographer s word is to De taken then the reproduced photographs used in Friday’s "Dominion” were taken from the same angle, under similar conditions, -hen the same exposure, and were printed on -Imilor paper; so that Mr TmonjnA comment on the honesty of the photograph's message was not quite fair.—l ilT "' rl ''" MIDLAND. Wellington, W lf! -