ELECTRICAL WORK.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1222, 10 June 1919, Page 5

ELECTRICAL WORK.

! MUNICIPAL ACTIVITY. MR McRAK OBJECTS | A tetter appealed in the Chronicle | recentty fmm Mr W. ftlcßatr. Sen , | protesting «sf»ir*jtt statements made by Cr J. Nicholl*. chairman of the Electric Light Committee of the council, that the council coo Id install electric Itebt at from 35s to £2 per point, as against £3 10s charged by local firms. Mr Mcßae followed this up by a letter to tfttf council complaining j that the action of the council i constituted an unjust encroachment lon the rights of tho»«» doing eleetriI c»l work in the borough. He underI stood that th- council intended to dt> housp wirir.g on the deferred payment system. ll** had been doing that for four y*ar#, but in his* case, some £5« of the payments ' were deferred for ever In Mr j Scott** time, he insisted on a cer- | tain style and quality of material. | which made installations a good Ideal dearer tb*n accessary, and i the writer, taking advantage of bis ability to procure the material, bought large quantities. Mr Moir now said that such material was not jrecessary. and cheaper stuff would do. This meant that the material acquired was on the writer's hands, as he could not compete with any firm using cheaper goods. It we* a well-known fact that he had to pay shop rent for storing hia material white the borough bad free storage. Mr Mcßae thought be should have bad a certain amount of notice that the council intended to do ita own wiring, and he would have adjusted bis stock accordingly. Wae it fair, be asked, for the council to charge him a license of £1 a year and then cot the ground from under his feet?

I During tbe whole course of tbe i war he had never been able to make more tbao £3 10s a week, ant many a week bis electrical work had not brought io =£l, yet the council, through its engineer, allowed one of its employee?, who was receiving £t a week regularly, to do private work in bis off shift. Such a thing would not be tolerated for an instant in the Government or any other business. Other people, in tbe town, be continued. Were doing electrical work, and from inquiries made at the town clerk's office, licenses had not been granted them. Mr BlcKae said be bad done more tban anyone eh* to popularise electric light in the town, especially by attending to consumers at all hours, but if tbe council west going to encroach farther on bis means of living, be would have to give it up and take io other trades.

Referring to the statement in tbe letter that license had not been given to others, tbe town clerk said it was incorrect COUNCIL DISCUSSION. Cr Walsb: Is he entitled to any consideration? A Councillor: No.

Cr Blackman: There is a statement tbat our employee has done private work.

Replying t» the JMayor, Mr J. W. Mucr, electrical engineer, explained that one man bad assisted in bis off-shift in order to belp the council to get extra consumers on. Now that the council was taking on the work, tbe man would not be farther employed. Cr Walsh: J odd no brief for Mr Mcßae, bat as a matter of justice we most reeognise that be is a man living in oar midst, and pay nit rates. Be shoold bave a fair chance of earning a livelihood. I move tbat the town clerk be instructed to write to Mr Mcßae informing him that there is no one doing baseness without a license and no employee of tbe council will continue private work. THE MAYOR'S VJBWS. The Mayor: 1 feet tbat the council should be very loath to compete and possibly take away a man's living. 1 am very sympathetic with Mr Mcßae, bot at the same time it is absolutely essential to the success of our installation tbat we shoold have more consumer*, and we can only get them by making it profitable for tbe people to put the light in.

tits Worship quoted tbe coat of a number of installations showing that Sir Mcßae's average cost was £Z 188 3d p#r point aa against £1 19s charged by tbe council, and tbe council's price left a profit of 10 per cent after paying good wages all tbe time. It was necessary for the borough to enter into competition. He suggesttd that the coaneil adhere to its decision and continue the works. Cr B tack man a»ked if the council's material was to be good.

Air Moir: Oar material will com- | ply with the Fire I'nderwriters* i Association, and is» as cood as any pot in in T«> Kuiti CK NICHOLLS IN KBPLY Cr NicheM* referred t-j Mr ; Mcßae"* letter in the Ohr niclc | saying the speaker ought to be sure : of hi* grounds. He the>n rrnd n j list of charges made by Mr McKuc | showing that that gentleman had ' charged £3 13s and £3 16s, whereas all be (Cr Nicholls) had said was that £3 10s had been charged. It would be seen that bi? statement was in accordance with facts. All sympathised with Mr Mcßae. but it was simply a matter uf business, i not sentiment, and they bad to do \ their v*ry best in the interests of i the borough as a whole, and, in doing so. if the council came up against a private individual, it was unfottonat*. but the cuoncil could i not help that I PUBLIC APPROVAL. Sines it had became known that i the council was prepared to under* i take contracts, proceeded Cr Nicj holls, be understood that there bad \ been 12 or 14 applications for work Ito be dons. That in itself was j abundant proof that the council was on the right track. The council could not get on without consumers and the more it bad the more financial it would become. Be seconded lbs motion.

DEFERRED PAYMENT. Cr Walsb: A private individual could not offer sueb terms. Cr Nicholls: After allowing for everything, we still make 10 per cent. Cr Tapp: Ur Mcßse says be has been Riving deferred payment. (Laughter.) Cr Walob: 1 quite believe bo bas done a lot of it for nothing. Cr Webber: We're out for consumers, and they asked ub to act. It's not tbat we wish to compete, but we must make our system pay. Tbe motion was carried.