ELECTRIC LIGHT SERVICE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 585, 16 July 1913, Page 5

ELECTRIC LIGHT SERVICE.

AN EXTENSION DESIRED

THE POSITION DISCUSSED.

Since the electric light was first in stalled in the town there has been considerable dissatisfaction in consequence of the house service being cut off at eleven o'clock. Reference was made to the matter at Monday evening's meeting by Cr Spenecr, who said he trusted now that the temporary plant had been taken over by the council from the contractors the service would be extended. He moved that the service be extended to midnight. Cr Somerville seconded.

Cr Mostyn Jones moved as an amendment that the service be extended till half-past twelve. The Mayor said they were all of one mind concerning the matter, but it was a question for the engineer to proffer an opinion upon. He would like Mr Bartley to state if the extension could be given. Mr Bartley said the extension could be given if the council wished the staff to work from about half-past nine in the morning till half-past twelve at night. I In reply to a question as to what i alteration in method would be required in order to give the extension, the engineer said they would require to work the staff in three shift 3, and this would mean duplicating the staff. Cr Spencer said he was strongly of the opinion that they should endeavour to popularise the light, and the present service was acting in the opposite direction. People would not install the light in order to get such a restricted service. He suggested that if the Pelton Wheel was placed at the King street bridge, where the water from the big main could be utilised it would develop sufficient power to make it unnecessary to run the engine during one shift. If they got a twin Pelton wheel placed at the bridge and connected with the power house the total cost would be about £9O. He thought this would save considerably more than the cost in fuel, and it would require no attention.

Cr M. J. Jones said he thought Cr Spencer's suggestion a good one Ev»>n when they had the permanent they would probably find it an economical method. Cr Mostyn Jonss said he was dead against "nigger driving," and it was plain the extension woqld entail too much work on the present staff. Still the present service was not satisfactory and he would like to know what was necessary in order to improve it. In reply to the Mayor, the engineer said he would object to leave anyone else in charge of the plant for a shift. The assistant was an efficient mechanical man but they could not expect him to be able to take charge of the plant, etc. In three or four months* time, when everything \va9 established, such a course would be desirable, and another assistant could be engaged, and they would be working their own staff nn. The Mayor asked if it was necessary to get another enigneer to run the engine. They had been led to understand that the engineer and his assistant would be able to run the whole thing. Mr Bartley: "You have evidently been wrongly informed " Cr Howarth said they should face the matter of assistance right away. He understood that as soon as the temporary plant was taken over they would have to go into the question of assistance. It was only a fair thing to Mr Bartley. The Mayor said there was another phas? of the question in respect to the connection s which would have to be considered by the Electrical Committee. He would suggest that the motion and amendment should be withdrawn in the meantime and that Mr Crookes be asked to attend a snecial meeting of the council to go into the matter of the connections. According to the specifications the contractors had agreed to put in a hundred and sixty connections. Hitherto the council's staff had been putting in the connections, and if they were freed from this work it would give them more time. The course suggested by the Mayor i was adopted.