RANGIORA GAS LAMPS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10767, 13 May 1913, Page 1

RANGIORA GAS LAMPS.

AUTOMATIC LIGHTING IN USE. NEW SYSTEM .VERY. SUCCESSFUL. An automatic system of lighting and extinguishing street gaS lamps has been installed at Rangiora, and was put into operation on/ Saturday evening with complete success. After making inquiry regarding different systems of automatic lighting, the Borough Council came to the conclusion that the pressure-wave system, centrally controlled, outweighs in advantage any clock-work system. It, therefore, decided to adopt the Alder and M'Kay pressure-wave apparatus, being impressed with its simplicity and freedom from complications in its few working parts, ana its neat and compact appearance when fitted in the lantern. A contract was let to Mr T. W. Butcher, of Wellington, to instal-the apparatus in fifty-eight street, lamps in Rangiora and Southbrook, at a cost of £ll4. The work was carried out by Mr A. Rogers, an expert from Alder and M'Kay's manufactory, Edinburgh, assisted by Mr J. Angus, the gasworks manager, and the installation was completed and in working order within a week. The pressure to operate the apparatus is obtained by running the exhauster at the gasworks as a compressor, thus saving the cost of a booster, estimated at not less than £IOO. When the pressure is applied the whole of the street lamps light up simultaneously without apparently affecting the other lamps connected with the mains. A second application of the pressure quickly extinguishes them. It is estimated that the saving in lamplighters' wages will in two years more than meet the cost, of the installation, and there is also a considerable saving of gas to be taken into account, effected by the lamps being lighted and extinguished simultaneously.