TO MAKE IT "PAY."

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 83, 9 April 1910, Page 9

TO MAKE IT "PAY."

THE MUNICIPAL LIGHT. INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR. Yesterday the Mayor (Dr. Newman) wan asked by a Post reporter why the electric light dopartment showed a considerably diminished profit for the year. "The explanation is thi*.," he replied : — "It is tho introduction of the metallic filament — tho brand generally used here is the Osram— but there aro several others in the market This metallic filament lamp consumes far irss current and gives a far better light than the old carbon lamp. Our light consumciK arc gradually adopting this new light As people use up their old carbon lamps they replace them by new Osram's ; their electric light bills grow less, and so does tbo electric light revenue. Last year each consumer paid the department £1 12s 6d less. This year, as consumers will have more Osrams so they will pay lew to the city— certainly, I think, £2 a year, probably more. Now, if each of our 4500 consumers pays us £2 a year le^s, well, our revenue sinks £9000. Of coarse, though this cuts down the electric light profits by £9000, it leaves it in the consumers' pockets j and, after all, the ratepayers voted for chrap light." Answering a query whether the department could supply current to Osrnm Inmps nt a profit, the Mayor said :—: — " Certainly— only we shall get less profit. If a man raves, say, for argument's sake, 50 per cent, by using Osramf, he does so by using 60 per cent, less current, and we aro saved tho rost of producing it. Again, tho city's new turbine engine, which started work a few months ago, will probably produce current 40 per cent cheanri . * The real position is thir : — The introduction of the el metallic filament gives a far better light at a far cheaper rate. Well, the consumer gains, though his own municipal light department fails in revenue." THE FUTURE. "What about the future of the department?" was one of the questions. "Oh," »aid the Mayor, "the future is all right. We can produce current at a profit to Osram users. Our trouble- is we have too few of them. We have ample plant to produce current, but we want a bigger trade. There are 4500 consumers ; »ye want 10,000. Ab there ore 12,500 houses in the city or more, we have plenty of ground to work upon. At preswt it is the banks and big buildings, and tho houses of the well-to-do that use our light. The main »eason why there are some 8000 houses unlit is the cost of installation. Ncarlv every house would take the light but for this heavy initial cost. This has been the bane of municipal electric departments everywhere. In order to meet it some forty-four towns in England do all the installation work themselves ai a cheap rate to the citizens. NEW SYSTEM OF WIRING. "Again/ he continued, "there has been invented the flexible wiring system. A workman can fit up a «six or sevenroomed house in a day, and the cost is only half our present old-fashioned method. If the fire insurance people of New Zealand, after the conference with them at the end of this month, will alter theii rules and allow us to do this, then in a few months the electric light department will do a big business. We are only going to ask them to alter their rules to bo in accord with those in England. The Phoenix rules permit it in London. The London Board of Trade Approve*. 8o cur demands aro quite reasonable. " ' Difcumn? a cu<"*e*tion that the corporation should hire out electric naotors or sell them on deferred payment, Dr. Newman said that not enough motors were used in Wellington— not nearly enough. "Here, again," h« explained, "the fir«t cort keept> people off. The Bydney Electric Light Department has adopted thia policy and lios met with great success— itt sales of current hnvo very largely increased, at I should like to see ours do. If we can get the rule* for wiring bouses amended, then the department will get «o many new connection*, and will do such a largo trade that its profits will be very good "Tho funny 'part of it all is," concluded the Mayor, "a cititen may build a new house and U re kerptcne lamp* or candles, and yearly enormous quantities of wax matches, and ho gets bis house injured; but if he wants to do awa> with lamps and candles and matcbea and put in our far safer current, then the*e rules «ay: 'You can do so— but only at great expense/ If tho conference— it is of all the fir© insurance people ot New Zealand— alters tho rule*, then the department will flourish."