PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 68, 18 September 1894, Page 3

PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib— Replying to Mr. Baron's statement — " If your corroapoudent bad taken the number of the lamp he had compared with those outside the public house, and telephoned to me, I would with pleasnro havo replaced with now one at once." Well, had I known it would have given Mr. Baron so muoh pleasure I might have boen tempted to go round the town, and if so, tho ringing up would have been pretty livoly for Mr. Baron. My rcoollection of that lamp is that it was too dim to see its nnmber. I might point out to Mr. Earon that it is his business, not mine, to sco that the light is kept up to tho standard which the lamp should give, 20 candle power (not 25, as written in former letter). I have referred to Mr. Baron's letter to the Council, in whioh he says, " Owing to a large number of lamps burning out they have to get a lot of inferior lamps which they were usiug, mid would still have to nse till their «iip].Ji>-8 cmi" from Eiirl it. '.." I v^riM a-k Mr liaron if these lnmp'i hS*r>nlti iio 1 - liavn burn replaced before they burnt out, as they would not be giving out near the amount of

tho atipulatpd candlq power ? I would also ask him if tbo inferior lamps be has had to uho would not also give an inferior light t Mr. I'aron will recollect that tho condition of tho light web characterised in very Btrong termß in the Council ; in fact, I think they compared it to a rushlight. As to rain making tho lamps dirty, if any ono will notice aftera heavy rain, they will aeo, as 1 stated, that tho lamps arc very much cleaner than before. As almost invariably there is wind with the rain, it beats against the glass and act 8 like a hoso to wabh them down. My statemont that Mr. Do Castro promised to have tho lantorna replaced with globes referred to tho contract of 500. Although a long time has elapsed, apparently none have boon replacod, nor docß there aecm to bo any intention to do it, for Mr. Baron says when fluted glass became cracked or broken it is replaced with plain glass. How is it they did not know enough about their business to put plain gla^s at first, whiuh is cheaper? Ho sayß, fnrther, when lanterns have becomo faulty they are replaced with globes. Were all these lanterns faulty that Sir. Do Castro had globes pnt on in such a great hurry during the ehort time ho waa lioro'r If ho, it is remarkable how good all tho rost continue to bo. Kcferring to my btatoment that it was practically a guaranteo of 1 per cent., my information was derived from remarks of Mr. Do Castro. I have referred to the contract. I am pleased to say that it it not bo ; but, on the other hand, the contract lor public lighting has been altered from 10 years to 21 yeais. Under tho new one, if not purchased at 10 or 14 years, it goes on for the 21 years, with no chanceß of getting any advantago of tho improved modes of lighting which may lie made in that time. Moreover, tho total limit of lamps which tho coinpnny is bound to supply is 800 of 20 candle-power each, a 500 candlepower being reckoned at equal to 1G of 20 candle-power. I believe there are nowabout6oo lighted ; if that is fo, and the Council were to put np a dozen lamps of 500-candlo power along tho fctreets near the wharf, they would have gone to their limit, and for the next 17 years no additional lamps could be got, except on Buch torms ns tho Giilcher Co. might givo. In March, 1889, tho Giilcher Co. signed tho contraot in England. Nevertheless at Mr. Do Castro's wish, the Council in 1891 made ft fresh ono, in which they gavo him tho following concessions without getting tho slightest eqnivalent :— Tho Giilcher Company owed tho Corporation .£5OO for water ; tho Council lot them off for .&250. Tho company had to maintain two stations ; tho Corporation allowed thorn to work from one. '1 his would Bavo tho company uhout -E250 per year. Not only thst, hut without nuy just eaut-o tho Council paid tho company J2300 for their useless shed 'I ho Council, in its first contract, guaranteed GO horse-powor ; now they give tho company all they want, without any extra charge (I boliovo some 20 horso-power oxtra;. They pivo tho Giilcher Company 3s per lamp more than tho firbt contract. These noncessions I estimate an boing worth about .£6OO a year to tho company, so I think that in tho faccond deal tho Council came off very much second best. I am, &l- , Samuel Brown.