STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11697, 12 December 1899, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

[FROM OUR RESIDENT AGENT.]

December 11 .—The Inspector's report on the D.strict H-gh School w pleasant reading. "Moat of those," writes Mr Spencer, " who have received the two years' tuition have covered matriculation work, and with this rapid progress a good grasp of work had been obtained, while in Algebra the work was of exceptional meiit."

'J he aonual debate on ihe school-prize question was held tonight at 1113 committee meeting. After the usual reraai ks had been made the mitter was referred, as U 'hi custom, to a sub-committee. Messrs Burgess and L'ardet hire bqen nominated fur the seat on the Borough Council rendered vacant by tbe election of Councillor Steuart to the Mayoral chair. The polling «i-l be held on Friday week. This, let us hope, closes the serks. Saturday night being fine and moonlight I strolled down the " pigs' tram ' to the electric light generating station. I found Mr Stiuart, the minasjer, explaining mitters to a party of xhitora whilst hU assistant, Mr Reed, kept- his eye on the machinery. The fi-st thing one is told ia to, on no account, tonch anything. Neglect of thi3 precaution may lead to an experiment in electrocution, there being currents of electricity on tap strong tnough to red nee body and soul to a cinder in cocsiderably loss than no time That the great turbine was doing its work smoothly and well was evident even to the meanest capacity, and the strangelookiag machines called, I telieve, the generator and the ex ifcer, were running so swiftly and smoothly a3 to give one the impression that they wo r e not running at all but for ihe curious and not inharmonious humming that filled the building Ihe machinery is very compact, thi generator being coupled direct to tho turlioe. r lhero are no 'pulleys aud bauds. This account, lam told, for the remaikabla steadiness that characterises the light. There are quite a number of beaulifu.ly fished guiges and registering instruments, and from these entries are made in a log book, chowing among other matters " the load " ' the machinery h carrying at any given time aud the amount of leakage from the mains. So delicate are these instruments thit the engineer i 3 told in nn instant when, say, the lights in ihe Catholic Chnrch are turned out. Ho at once moves a handle and the strength of ths current ia reduced in accordance with the reduced demand for light. The machinery h run from dusk to dawn, tho work being divided into two watches. At present only about one fourth of the po^ver is being used, but the work of wiring the town is proceeding as rapidly as the material can be obtained. Applications for instalment are crowding in, and there ein bo little doubt that the company has a most successful career before it.