CITY STREET LIGHTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15707, 8 March 1913, Page 4

CITY STREET LIGHTING.

PROPOSED ADDITIONAL LAMPS, INTERESTING REPORT. At the request of the spccial tommittoe of tlic Works Committee that lias been considering the question of improving the lightins of ('ho city the town clerk (Mr 0. A. Lewin) has drawn lip a report containing some interesting data. The existing yearly (.'.large in respect of public lighting- is as follows:— 700 gas lamps at £5 ' ... £3500 0 0 3 gas lamps at £2 '2s 6d (part)... "6 7 6 539 electric, lamps at various rates 1846 4 5 Yearly charge to repay capital to E. P. and L. department ... 665 9 0 £6018 0 11 It is now proposed to very materially increase tho number of lamps a-nd to make, other adjustments with tho object of improving the lighting of the city. These arrangements apply chiefly to Valley Ward, (there it is proposed to install 46 lamps on file tramway centre poles in the Main North road in lieu of the 15 lamps at present in use there. It is also proposed to light- the 46 lamps on tho Main North road until 2 a.m.. and the balance of the lights in this district—l64—every night until midnight, in lieu of the "moonlight" schedule nights as provided for in the contract between tho late North-East- Valley Borough and tho city. The total increase in the number of electric lights throughout the city will be 183, at an increased yearly charge for maintenance of £576 9s. In, respect of the pas lamps, it is proposed to cut out 12 of these now erected on the Tcclaimcd land and to add now lamps to the total of 227. The Gaa Committee! has submitted a scheme to tho Public Works Committee wlnyebv the yearly ocst of the whole of the ga6 lamps for maintenance is to be reduced from £5 to £4 per year.

Mr Lewin points out that if the whole of these proposals should be given effect to' the yearly charge for public lighting would be as folJows:—. 930 gas lamps at £4, £3720 0 0 i 5 per cent, on £600, cost of mains ••• ' 30 0 C Repayment of £2214 capital outlay in 10 yearly, payments ... 280 0 0 772 electric lamps at various rites , ... 2423 0 0 Repayment of capital charge on existing lamps. 665 C 0 Repayment of £2102 capital on additional lamps. 265 0 0 £7383 0 0 This means an increased yearly demand of £1365 in respect of public lighting, while the repayment to both the gas and electric' departments of the capital outlay in 10 years entails a yearly expenditure of £1210. . At tho end of the financial year (March 31) the amount that will remain due to the Electric Department on capital, account-is £4293 12s 6d, made up as follows:— Southern area £1137 12 6 North-East- Valley ... 1216 14 0 City ... ... ... ... 1939 6 0

£4293 12 6 Addinc to fois total the amounts proposed to be spent on capital account for tho extensions, a total of £8620 i.s obtained, and Mr Lewin suggests that, with a view to reducing the yearly charge for sinking fund on this outlay, tho period of, repayment, should be extended oVer 20 years. On this basis the yearly charge for public lighting would become £6819 as agaiiut £7383 on tho basis of repaying capital outlay in 10' years. Hie former figuro is an advance of £800 on the cost of public .lighting..as at present, but thero is an additional 227 gas and 183 electric lamps for the cityequal to an advance in number of over 30 per cent. In conclusion Mr Lewin points out that tho decrease by the Gas Committee from £5 to £4 per lamp means a reduction of £930 per year. APPROVED BY THE HUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. The report was discussed by the, Public Works Committee at its meeting on Thursday night, when it was decided to vccommend it to tho council for approval, wit'.i the alteration, however, that the repayments extend over a term df only 10 year 3.