THE LIGHTING QUESTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 138, 3 August 1911, Page 6

THE LIGHTING QUESTION.

(lo tho Eaitor ••Stratford Post.”) —ia lace oi tiro petition presented to tao Mayor signed by tour c.ouiicjlloi s, a reply irom me m iairci- - I Ji called tor in answer to Mr. Masloi s statement in last nigliL's issue of uiu Hi veiling Post,” riowever, in passing 1 may say tJiat tne question °l publication of die connnittoo’s repore could not Have boon fully discussed by tne Council, seeing tnat nearly halt the Council desho further discussion on that point. Mr. Masters states that 1 missed the marie in thinking that the goodwill is the allimportant item in the report. This is not so. 1 contended in my last letter tnat the goodwill having been fixed, there could not ho any objection to the publication of the'report. There may lie other matters ol importance in the report, but they should certainly bear tne light of day at this juncture as well as at any other time. No doubt tbo report touches on the new machinery that it is understood tho Electrical Supply Company inis ordered, and in this matter tho Council will require to lie very careful, as machinery that may be suitable to tiie Company may or may not be suitable for the requirements of the Council. Apart from tho question of new machinery tho valuation of the, Company’s plant should he plain sailing. Now as to the important matter of goodwill, it is most essential in the interests of tiie Borough that there 1 should not he any amateur juggling with figures. The Company should not place any obstacles in the way of a chartered accountant employed by the Council having access to all documents and hooks necessary to compile a comprehensive report to the Council on the Company’s business. This would enable the Council to arrive/ at a correct estimate of the net income of the Company, and thereby lie in a position to fix the amount of goodwill to he paid. To conclude, there is not any getting away from the position that, unless the Company is prepared to assist tho Council in every way in the matter of information required, negotiations must fall through.—l am, etc., RATEPAYER Stlatford, August 3rd, 1911.