PUBLIC LIGHTING.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 61, 9 September 1904, Page 5

PUBLIC LIGHTING.

LOAN OF £20,000 PROPOSED. Tho following important recommendation was made to the City Council lost evening by tho Finance Committee: — "That a. proposal to borrow the sum of £20,000 to enable tho Council to undertake tho public lighting of t<ho city bo placed before the ratepayers as early as possible." The Mayor stated that tho object of the proposed loan wns to put the Council in a position to take over the street lighting at the expiry of the twelvo months' notko which had been given to the Electric Light and Powei Syndicate. Councillor Cohen referred to the ratepayers' rejection of the Miramur loan, and suggested postponing tho appeal to the ratepayers for the £20,000 loan. The Mayor, speaking against postpone* mont, said tho Council lmd no power to expend any money at all on a work till the ratepayers had authorised it. Tho refusal of the Miramar loan was no criterion. The Council, in referring to tho ratepayers the Mirnmar proposal, had arrived at the conclusion that there would bo a loss on the undertaking for a number of yoors ; but in the case of the £20,600 loan for lighting* the figures of the expert, which 'he believed wero reliable, showed that there wouW bo a saving instead of increased expenditure Councillor Keeno suggested that the loan for the destructor be submitted at^ the same time. Councillor Luke had no doubt the loan would bo sanctioned. People would bo surprised to know tho results of tho working from the power-home. At tjie time of initiation the cost of the power per unit was Sd ; it had now been reduced to 1 3-lod. That wonld compare vory favourably with any working. It would therefore be a great gain to get hold of Hie lighting.. Tho Miramar poll was no criterion, for In that caso thero was a risk, and a division existed. Ho regretted tho loss of tho proposal, but bhe ratepayera had acted on their judgment. , Councillor Smith pointed out to Councillor Cohen that it would bo necessary to have the machinory and fittings on tho street ready by tho expiry of tho twelvo months' notice, or the Council would have to ask the Syndicato to continue. ' , Tho Mayor stated that tho Council was not taking over any of the Syndicate's plant except the overhead wires. Tho recommendation wns curried on tho voices. In committee, the Council considered a proposal of tho Kitson Light Company to lijrht tho city with tho Kitson lighta Tho Conucil decided that it could not adopt the system.