ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13646, 14 July 1908, Page 3

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

CONDITIONS OF SUPPLY. The Timiiru Borougli Council spent an hour and a half last night in a discussion on the conditions upon which electric current is to be supplied to private consumers.

Tha Mayor introduced the subject, and said the conditions had been approved by Mr Armstrong, the Council's expert, by Scott Bros.', and by the Council's solicitors. The Council, he said, could appoint an inspector at any time, to see that the work was done in accordance with the conditions.

An amendment suggested by the solicitors that the penalty for delay in payment for supplies should be reduced from 20 per cent., proposed to 10 per cent, was agreed lo and adopted.

Councillar Raymond wished the charge for lift motors to be reduced. Clause 5 requires owners of lifts to pay a minimum charge as for a full load for 4 hours a day, the current used for a shorter time, and he asked that the minimum be made 2 hours, as the 4 hour charge would mean a day—£l27 10s a year.

r Jr Satterthwaite said it seemed that the contractors had drawn up the conditions themselves, and the Mayor 6aid that was not the case. They were based on the rules of Christchurch and Dunedin, modified ti suit the circumstances of Timaru.

("v Sn'-i-rthwaite urged that the two cases; the Council had before- them last Friday night should be dealt with before they adopted these conditions, for if the conditions were adopted firet, those installations would be useless. They were put in, in good faith, before the conditions were framed, and the conditions should not be retrospective. The owner of the b iildmg-t wsLi-til to have them up-to-date. He arranged with contractors to install wires, and it was not his fault that conditions were i.'-l available soontr. It would be a very great hardship if Mr Hay had to do all the work over again. Messrs Turnbull and Jones told the Council that they carried out the work according to the best conditions in use elsewhere, and it would be a hardship to penalise the owner in the circumstances.

The Mayor said it was their own fault. They went ahead and wired the building, before the Council got a license and took the risk of the work being in compliance with the conditions of the license. It w -tijl not i>e ia;r to accept those installations and insist on other ones for other people. Councillor Mullin said that Scott Bros, were putting electricity into the town altogether at their own expense and they must be considered. The only thing now, was for the two parties to try to come io an agreement between themselves. He regretted that any hardship, must fall upon Mr Hay,' but he approved of Timaru setting an example of good work. The Mayor: If the work had been done equal to the Christchurch. conditions it would have been all right. Councillor Mullin: The other party said it was so done, and that the inspector agreed that it was. It should be admitted that Turnbull and Jones wired the place iu. good faith, but the standard had been raised. AVith regard to the future, he did not think any firm's work should be subjected to another firm's inspector. The Mayor: Thatl can be dealt with. I mentioned* that we can appoint an insx>eetor.

Councillor Mulliu: It comets to this, that if anybody wiinlis to avoid trouble they musts employ JScott Bros, to do their wiring. The. Mayor: If w-e adopt tlio conditions v« can employ our own inspector, and if he passes it we ca.u compel Scott Bras, lo supply current. Councillor Mullin reminded the Mayor that the other night Mr Scott said u did not signify liow many inspectors the Council had, tlicy must still inspect lor iheinselvts.

The Mayor: There was too much "eiKigy" about thai! night. Couucilor Leathwick thought clause 9 covered the case.

Councillor Hawkey would agree (.lull the conditions should apply to all future woik, but tliey should not', be retrospective. He would like to see an outside expert called in to report on the two Bays' buildings. He understood that the installations had cost £IOO, and it would be a great hardship to insist on the work being pulled oui. and done over again. Mr Armstrong made some recommendations for effective safety, and that should be sufficient'.; but the Council should take no responsibility. (Jr. Raymond proposed to move that Mr Armstrong be asked to report in what respects, if any, the installations were defective according to the Government license, which was all that concerned the Council.

Councillor Bowkcr concurred. Councillor Leathwick said clause 9 said tlu Council must inspectCr. Satterthwaite asked that Mr Armstrong's report be read and the town clerk read it. I'he report was of some length, and dealt with several technical details, mentioned a number of defects, recommended amendments, and. suggested that consideration should be shown to the contractors for the installations because the Council had given them no instructions or advice as to the nature of the work required. Cr. Satterthwaite thought the Council should treat this report as the report of an arbitrator and acil upon it, demanding only the alterations of detail specified in it, which Mr Armstrong said would make the instalhiiion lire-sale; and if 'ltunbuil and Jones made) those alterations i-iiey liiioiild be supplied. The Mayor said it would not do; Mr Armstrong was wrong as to thei voltage, and the alterations would nob make the installation in accordance with the Government license.

A discussion look place on "voltage," some asserting that Mr Armstrong said it was 220, others that Mr Scott said it was 400.

In reply to Councillor' Sealey, the Mayor said that Messrs lurnbull and Jones would know what was required to be done if the conditions were adopted. Councillor Hawkey said they wanted to act on Mr Armstrong's report and the Council wanted them to act) on the conditions, which were two very different tilings. In reply to a suggestion of a compromise regarding the two buildings, Councillor ObonT pointed out that there was no provision for making an application for current, except in accordance with the conditions.

Mr Scott, who was in waiting, was asked to come in and explain the reason for charging four hours per day as a minimum for lifts (clause 5). Mr Scott explained that the supply of current to lifts was the least satisfactoiy, as each lift required 6 to 8 horse power, and this was put on and off suddenly, and the power had to be kept in reserve for it all day, whether used or not. It was customary everywhere to make a charge for that, and 8s per day was a veiy moderate charge. Mr Scott remarked that his firm had been too easy altogether in making their contract; thev had given way on' every point that was pressed-; they were limited in their'profits; and they were not'going to make a fortune out of it.

Regarding inspection, Mr Scott wished to explain what he meant when he said hist Friday that they must inspect themselves no mattler how many inspectors.*! l6 Council had. Inspections were required for different purposes: by the insurance companies for fire risks only; by the Government for earth leaks and interference with their telegraph and telephone systems; and by'the suppliers for tlie safety and smooth working of the whole system. Electricity was not like water or gas. "What went out of the power house

must go' back again, or tihcre- would he trouble, and a defect in a private installation might put out all the street lights. For thatS reason, they, as suppliers, must inspect to insure the safety of their system. If the corporation liked to take the responsibility the firm would not, object to it, but he warned the Council that it would involve a risk of action for damages. Not long ago the Shorediilch corporation had to pay £2OOO to an insurance company for having connected with a faulty installation. that was one sort of risk tire Council would have to take .if it took all the .'responsibility of testing and inspection. Only recently his firm had had to take out 200 faulty joints in the wiring of a big new building in Cbristchurch, which had been .passed by the underwriters' inspector. Councillor Hawkey: Then we ought to take the word " corporation," out, ot these conditions, and put in " Scott Bros.". The Mayor: The.work will be all right .if done according to these conditions. Councillor Hawkey asked Mr Scotit whether there was any possibility of a compromise regarding those two buildings, otherwise the whole of the installations must be- torn out: * .

Mr S'cotll said his firm, did not want to be unreasonable, but they could not . connect with faulty installations. As for the work being done prior to the making of conditions, mesti of his work had been done before the license was issued, and if he had done any of it not in accordance with the requirements of the license, he would have altered it, and said nothing aboutf it. As for a compromise the installation was not safe, and he would not connect it. They had been willing to meet the other parties, but thtuw had made no attfempt to meet them; on the contrary had treated them with contempt. If his firm were approached in a reasonable way they would try to be reasonable Sjtoo; they had surely shown that! all along. that wiring according to Christehurch conditiona would not do for the Tinraru system; in reply to Councillor Satterthwaite, that if the work were altered as suggested by Mr Armstrong, it still would not do, and in reply to Councillor Baymony, that tie voltage was 440, not 220,and "if 440 leads were taken inlo a building at all that made the installation 440.

Councillor Satterthwaite -. If Seotlt Bros, had wired these buildings as they are wired, would you put in current? Mr Scott: Certainly not, and Scott Bros, would never have dreamti of wiring a building as these.have been done. It was now eleven o'clock, Councillors bogrtn to show impatience at the questioning, and Mr Scott was thanked for his attendance and explanations and withdrew,

Councillor Leathwick said it was not a bit of use dictating to men in Mr Scott's position. Councillor Bowker: No; be good boys and do as you're told.

Councillor Schmidt reminded the new councillors that the Council had tried to avoid having anything at all to do with private consumers, but they could not help themselves. If they coidd have got out of it they would. ■ ■

Councillor Mullin: The sooner the Council takes the whole thing over the better.

The Mayor moved and Coiuicillor. Kothwell seconded "That the conditions as revised by the solicitors be approved and adopted." Councillor. Kaymond moved an amendment that 2 hours be the minimum charge for lifts instead of four.7—This was put and lost.

The Mayor's motion was then put and carried, Councillors Kaymond, Satterthwaite and Mullin voting against it.

The Mayor asked some Councillor to move that a copy of the conditions be sent to Messrs Turnbull aud Jones. Councillor Satterthwaite.: And.that a copy be sent to every other electrical firm as a hint to stop away from Timaru.

Hie motion was moved by Councillor Leathwick and carried.

Cr. .Raymond wished to move his motion that Mr Armstrong be asked to report, giving particulars of defects in the installations in tho- Hays' buildings, but the Mayor arid the seconder, Councillor Bowker, said that would be useless now that the conditions had beeu adopted. Councillor Hawkey expßsscd surprise Be thought tho conditions, were .noil to apply to those two buildings, or he would not have voted for them. Would lh* Mayor take a resolution tbali the conditions be Jiot made retrospective ? The Mayor. said he could not, but he would do his best to mediate between tho parties. . , . Mr H. A. Adley, iseerctary Canterbury Fire Underwriters' Association, x inquired what method of ' inspection the Council proposed for private electric supplies, r-.o that installations may be tested and certified to by a responsible officer-prior to. the electric current being used. the.

Mayor said the underwriters had their own inspector. A letter from the Superintendent of Electric Lines stated that the existing license for electric supply referred only to supply within the borough, and if an extension to the county was desired a separate license must be had. The permission of the County Council must also be obtained before poles could be erected. The Mayor explained that there had been several applications for electric light for dwellings in the suburbs. It was suggested that applicants for light should apply for the license.

To the Editor of the " Tiniaru Herald." Sir, —In reading your report of the special macing of the Council held on Friday evening 1 wish to correct a statement made by .Messrs Turnbull and Jones'w representative, Mr. Stead. He says that not only in New Zealand but throughout the world, the Fire Office rules were used for electric wiring, the Underwriters' inspector was accepted as sufficient guarantee and the Corporation was in most cases also represented by an independent inspector but he adds the absurd..concoction that the firm supplying current must ' not hi allowed to pass any work carried out by other -firms. Having spent a good deal of my time in the Old Country I could men.ion at least half a dozen firms who not only supply current and carry out contracts themselves but test--all-in-stallations for their own safety and proection. I do not know of any firm af| Home who would concede so. much to a Borough Council as Scott Bros', have done here and in making ilreir own teste they are only doing what is right and proper. If it is tfrue that Mr. S ead has been to England it does not say much for hi> knowledge of electrical firms there. To a new arrival it seems absurd that a special meeting of Councillors should be called to decide a point of (his kind, which should be settled amicably by the people concerned. —I am, etc., COMMON SENSE.