ECONOMIES AT THAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21314, 15 October 1932, Page 11

ECONOMIES AT THAMES

CHANGE IN POWER SUPPLY DECISION OF COMMISSIONER [FROM OfR OWN correspondent] THAMES, Friday The borough commissioner. Mr. C. L. Grange, has decided to make a change from direct to alternating current for the borough's supply of electricity, and £ISOO was provided in the estimates for the current financial year. Explaining the matter at ths first meeting of the Advisory Committee the commissioner said he change-over was very desirable. It would effect a saving of £3ll a year,' and the gross saving without paying any interest would be £486 from an outlay of £3500, which was something like 14 per cent. There would be no cost on the consumers. The change could be financed without much difficulty, the commissioner said. There would be £6OO worth of labour involved, but one point was that it would eventually dispense with the necessity for two attendants at £l3O a year each. That was greatly to be regretted. It is now an excellent opportunity to have the work done, as the time was most favourable for the purchase of necessary materials. The estimated cost of £3500 would be found j from the electricity account (£1500) and | the electricity depreciation f?nd .(£2000). j Legislative authority would be necessary ] before the work could proceed, j Mr. Grange told the committee that he j thought the cost of street lighting in j Thames was excessive, the hoars being too : extended. Lights were on all night in Pol- | len Street and until midnight in the resii dential area. j Members pointed out that the Borough : Council recently made the change with the object of affording better protection to j business premises. I _ The commissioner said he had not been I informed of that aspect of the matsr.