ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 7

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

INSTALLED AT NEW BRIGHTON

CURRENT TURNED ON,NV Brighton advanced another Stage in its progress on Tuesday night, when the current- for the street lighting; of North and part of West Brighton was turned on. A party, consisting o the 31 avo,■ (Mr F. Kibblowhite) and Councillors, Mr E. E. Stark (city electrical engineer), Air J. A. Flesher (late Mayor of the borough) and Mr P. Raimie (of the Christchurch City Coun ' cd). motored to,' the substation on Stiver Road, where'Mr J- A- Fleshed performed the opening ceremony by turning oh the current. In doing so, Mr Flesher expressed the hope that the borough would keep on the road of nroparty then motored through the newly Jit part, via Racecourse Road, Bowbill Road and the Esplanade. Everything passed oil without a hitcn, the lights making a fine showing in » hitherto dark neighbourhood. 'At the Premier Picture Palace, the Mayor (Air F. Kibblowhite) introduced Mr Stark to the audience, and thanked him for the great assistance he had rendered the borough in bringing the work to a successful issue. He apologised for tbtv unavoidable absence ot the; Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. Holland), and the chairman of the Oity Council Electric Lighting Commioteo (Councillor A. S. Taylor). „Mr Flesher, who was received with applause, thanked the Mayor and conncilors for jEciving him the opportunity

of performing the opening. ceremony No other work during the time he- had served the borough as Mayor had given him such pleasure as had the work, in connection' with the electric light scheme-. The borough was .inst. about to celebrate its majority, and it was fitting that it should do so by adopting electric lighting. The charges for light would be the same as those in force in the city. In October next the. contract with the Gas Compauy for street lighting would expire, and then th© remaining streets wotild bo lit with electricity. As against, a. charge of £3 a' lamp as at present, the new system would cost £2 2s a light with a standing charge of £1 7s, which would bo eliminated eventually. Futv per cent more lighting would be gamedthanat present- .for the same cost. It would have been impossible for the borough to be iii the position it .was to-day if it had tackled the scheme by means of a J °M.r Stark paid a tribute to the work of the Mayor in. getting a contract so advantageous to New Brighton. tin the last occasion he had come before a New Brighton audience, it was to getthe contract .agreed to., and, now that that had been done, be hoped and expected it would go on for ever. The principle on which mams would be extended into new districts would bo that, the cost would lie returned within three years in the shape of current used. He would like the local Borough Council to sell stoves on Hie time s^ tem Wire to the value of £6OOO bad been landed within the past few days, and there Should be now no delay m dealing with private installations in the borough. . , In answer to questions, Air Stark gave a full explanation of the maximum demand system and storage batteries for motor traction. By means of lantern slides he illustrated the many ■uses electrieitv could be put to. Mr Stark’s lecture was m*ach appreciated, and at the conclusion he was, on the motion of the Mayor, accorded, a hearty vote of thanks. A collection for Red Cross funds yielded £3 4s 7d. At. the close the Mayor entertained til© visitors and councillors to supper.