GREY HOSPITAL TRIAL.

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1927, Page 4

GREY HOSPITAL TRIAL.

For Electrical System. POWER ENGINEER’S EXPLANATION. At last night’s meeting the Grey Hospital Board was addressed by Mr J. Lythgoe, the Grey Power Board’s Engineer, ou a proposal, submitted for the approval of the Board, for the electrification of the Hospital. He pointed out that several hospitals in the North Island were now using electricity, with good results. He thought that by installing electricity this Board would save at least £5OO a year on the cooking ,lighting, and heating. The steam engine now used by the Board used up a tremendous amount of steam, and if a motor were installed it would do away with all this. Mr Lythgoe stated that his Board had given him permission; to prepare a report for the Hospital Board free of cost. Asked at how much he estimated the cost of the electricity, Mr Lythgoe sai l that he estimated that the Hospital would use 60 k.w. a year, and at £l2 per k.w. this would amount to £720 a year. The wiring of the Hospital would have to be attended to owing to the stringency of the present regulations. Tho Hospital would be termed a “long-hour institution,” which meant a reduced rate. On the motion of Mr Turley, Mr Lythgoe was instructed to draw up a full report for submission to the Public Health Department. Mr Harker moved and Mr Barrowman seconded that a transformer be installed on a fortnight’s trial. Tho motion was carried. The following letter on the subject, from Mr. Lythgoe was received.— The Medical Superintendent, Grey Hospital, Greymouth. Dear Sir: Fur ther to my recent conversation with you in connection with the present operating costs of the steam raising equipment, the information supplied by your office shows that the value of fuel consumed for heating, lighting and cooking purposes during tho period April 1926 to March 1927, which includes coal, coke and gas, amounts to £l3lO 15s Bd. A recording Watthour meter was recently installed to register the lighting units consumed between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily over a period of one fortnight. At’the same time a careful cheek of the fuel consumer was made by your staff during that period to enable a comparison to be made in connection with the units generated and fuel consumed for this purpose. From the information supplied for the period Ist. June to 14th. June both days inclusive between the hours of 5 p.m. and i a.m. 14 ton 10 cwt. of coal together with 17 loads of coke was consumed, which at the rate of 22/- and 12/5 per load respectively amounts to £26 Ils, The average units generated for lighting purposes during the same period amounted to 700 units which at the rate of 6d per unit amounts to £l7 10s. A special rate of 4d per unit would, how ever, reduce this amount to £l2/13/showing a saving over the period of £l4. This in itself is a very marked indication of the inefficiency of your present installation. The writer has inspected the whole of the equipment in use at the Hospital and is prepared io submit a proposal covering the cost Oj. operation and the cost of installation of suitable equipment to supply the whole of the requirements of the Hospital with regard to lighting, heating cooking, water boiling, together with the necessary apparatus for sterilisation purposes. Modern hospitals in other countries, especially in tho States and Canada, are at the present time being equipped throughout with electrical apparatus for this purpose, ,ich has proved to be reliable, efficient and more economical than other methods. From present indications, the writer estimates that the whole of tho Hospital Board’s requirements with regard to lighting, heating, cooking etc., could be supplied by the Power Board at a figure considerably less than your present cost. A complete electrical service would also provide considerabls advantages in regard to saving in labour, cleanliness in operation, more elastic in its application, and greater reliability of service than the present conditions. The saving that would be effected by the installation of modern electrical equipment to supply all yo ir requirements would more than offset the cost of installing the necessary apparatus within a very short period, as the estimated saving would amount to between £5OO and £6OO per year. I have the pleasure in offering you my ser ; vices in connection with this mattefJ ■ and shall be pleased to furnish any further information or advice you may require. Yours faithfully JOSEPH LYTHGOE, Engineer and Manager,