ELECTRIC INSTALLATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13681, 25 August 1908, Page 3

ELECTRIC INSTALLATION.

THE INSPECTION QUESTION,

The Timaru Borough Council last nightlistened to correspondence and had some further discussion on the question of the. ; inspection of electrical installations. The Canterbury Fire Underwriters' Association advised that several clients were desirous of having their electrical installations inspected, so that they could be connected with the corporation supply. It was therefore desirable that a mutual agreement should be arrived at between the Council and the Association relative to this matter. The Government Superintendent of Electric Lines, advised that the Council's request that the assistant inspector at Christchurch be allowed to report on some light and power installations in the Borough could not be acceded to. Mi* F. Armstrong wrote offering to inspect- ,test, and report on installations, for £2 2s per day and expenses. ' In the ordinary way he could test about six installations per day. * In reply to a letter sent by the Town Clerk, the Christchurch City Council wrote that as far as practicable', no connection was made to any installation until it had been passed by the assistant inspector. The Council's solicitor advised that clause 9 of the conditions, fixing maximum charges for ( supplies did not debar the Council from fixing a minimum charge. Mr S. Richardson, tramways and electrical engineer, City of Wellington, by request of the Mayor of Wellington, made in reply to an inquiry, the following remarks on the Council's regulations and agreement forms for electrical supply : "Your forms and regulations generally are up to date, and are better than the ones we are at present using. I have noted on the terms and conditions a few suggestions." These suggestions were: "Four hours minimum for lift supplies seems a heavy tax. Two hours should be sufficient. Ten shillings should be an ample charge for inspections (not 21s); the Wellington charge is ss. Paragraph 15, minimum charge of 8s per quarter. This, he took it, did not refer to the passenger lifts. Installations should be erected and maintained to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer, as well in accordance with the rules of the Fire Underwriters' Association. To the rule re density of current, stipulated should be added, "notwithstanding anything contained in Fire Underwriters' rules." On the rule (43) re test, requiring a resistance of 50 megohms, divided by the number of lamps, Mr Richardson remarked that this was a rather high test, in Wellington it was 25.. - .

A copy of the above letter having been sent- them, a telegram was received that day from Messrs Scott, "Pleased to agree to Richardson's suggestions. Writing you to-day re proposed discounts." The Mayor said that Mr Brown had told him that Mr Richardson had not understood the position with regard to the test. The system here was different from ■■ that of Wellington, and a higher test in megohms was needed. Some discussion took place over the question of the cost of inspections. The Mayor .did not think the Council should lose the money. (First inspections are not charged to the consumer, but subsequent ones are). It was not the Council's idea thaD Scott Bros, should be the final inspectors, but he did not like the idea of the Council paying for the inspections.

The Town Clerk said the free inspection was adopted to give the thing a start.

The Mayor said he called on the Wellington engineer, who told him that they would not dream of connecting up without inspecting for themselves, apart from the underwriters' inspection, and that Scott Bros, were perfectly justified in inspecting for themselves. Councillor Hawkey said not one objected to Scott Brqs. inspecting for themselves ; the objection was to their inspecting for the Council. Councillor Mullin inquired whether the Council was not going to. make a profit out of which they could pay these charges, and lie experssed surprise when told that the Council was not to make any.-.profit. Councillor Bowker suggested that there would be no more disputes about installations, no inspection for the Council.necessary, as there would be no opposition to Scott Bros. He mentioned that Mr West was waiting for an inspection, and that Scott's had objected to the installation. lii reply to Councillor Satterthwaite the Town Clerk said that an installation in Sophia street had only been provisionally passed, pending inspection, with the concent of the insurers. The installation at Adams, Ltd, was being altered. Councillor Schmidt; Then what do we

want an inspector for? Why bother with an inspector at all? The Mayor suggested' that the inspector be got down to inspect those ready now, to give the thing a start, and this was agreed to. The Town Clerk "said there were five or six to:' be inspected. The Mayor said he understood that there were a few blanks in the street lighting, a few more lamps required; and he asked Councillors for each ward to report such cases. , Councillor Satterthwaite had given notice of motion to rescind clause 5 of the conditions, which fixes a minimum of 4 hours a day, for passenger lifts and 1 hour for other motors, in order to insert a clause drawn up in accordance with Messrs Scott's contract., .He now asked ieave to withdraw this notice, as the past, action of Scott Bros, had cut off all opposition. He contended that the Council had done a great injustice to Messrs Hay by swallowing a set of conditions that left Scott Bros, in possession of a monoply, and by refusing to accept a motion from Councillor Hawkey that the "conditions be not made retrospective. The interests of a private firm had been considered, not the interests of the people of Timaru. The Mayor denied that there had been any partiality on- his side; .he had tried to* do his best for the public. Councillor Hawkey said his motion if carried ' would .have left it, open to the parties to come to an amicable understanding, but the, Council laughed him down. The motion was withdrawn and the matter ended.