TE KUITI ELECTRIC LIGHT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1133, 5 November 1918, Page 4

TE KUITI ELECTRIC LIGHT.

The Editor.. Sir,—l cannot understand your action in cutting out certain portions - - of my letter bearing on the electric light of the borough. The special Electric Light Investigation Committee's teport was nothing else but a condemnation bf the engineer who, by the rules of etiquette, could not reply, and therefore stands, as it were, convicted of an offence. It is a most peculiar coincidence thatrTt^:...... members of tbis special committee were—in Mr Mora's language—revenue dodgers, but I will give thorn the credit that they were not parties to it, yet in making out a report attacking the engineer, they went considerably out of the way. They should have gone back to the cause, both on the outside lines and inside wiring, and they would have found that the diminution of profits is the effect, and not the engineer, who, 1 know, has triud hard to get over the difficulties. In answer to one part of Mr Mora's letter, he BBks the question whether 1 argue from an insurance company's point of view, the consumer, or the producer? 1 must answer—neither, but from an expert point of view. In the first place, going back* to the erection of the main lines, these are made of aluminium because it was cheaper than copper. After. two years of exposure to the elements their 'tensile strength is decaying, and they are now a positive source of danger. to everybody, whether they use the light or not. To thoße . who uss it when a heavy wind is blowing they are liable to have all their lamps broken, or the fuses i burnt. If there is a weak spot in their installation, it breaks down. To thoee walking the street the wire is liable to break any time, and create damage before the current is cut off. In the power station the generator is liable to flash over—which it has done already—and burn itself out in an instant. Instead of the committee growling about excessive casual labour, there ought to be two men employed in tightening up the lineß, which will take some considerable time. Secondly: I think I am correct in saying that if a previous council bad not interfered with Mr Bartley, the first engineer, the accumulators would have been in use to the present doy, and our large engine would not h»ve been required for some considerable time yet. These accumulators were done before the present engineer took charge, and their loss has been bewailed by every councillor since. Let us go into figures, if possible, and see what the saving would have amounted ito if the battery had been available. Firstly, the now engine would not have bean required'; secondly, there would be the Baving in coal, as only one producer plant would ' be in use instead of two as at pre3ent; thirdly, one men and one boy could be dispensed with making a saving in wages alone of £250 per annum, casual labour would be reduced as the engineer and boy on shift could have coped with the work. Altogether a saving could have been effected of at least £360 per annum. Now, as to* shop and house installation. It is open tb be seen by anyone that all the wiring donu in the first two years of the electric light was not done in accordance with the rules of the Fire Underwriters' Association, neither was it in conformity with the license ; issued to the borough engineer by ' the Government. Therefore, the engineer was only doing his duty when he insisted that all new installations must conform to the rules. He may have created enemies, even Btnongst the members of the council, but the owners of property have cause to, thank him, for some of the houses and business premises are positively dangerous if any repairs have to bo done. The present engineer ought to be thanked for the trouble he has taken in trying to bring all work up to a first-class standard, even although it may cost a little more . s to install. The tradesmen of Rora street should also thank the engineer for the trouble he went to with the Fire Underwriters' Association, otherwise their insurances would have been cut off, if their installations were not put in order. I think I have made it clear that—although the engineer may have faults —he is not to blame, for the whole system under which he works ia rotten, and hss been from the beginning. —1 am, etc., WM. .McRAB, SENR. To Kuiti, November■ 6lß,""fiwJß.