HEATHCOTE VALLEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11572, 16 December 1915, Page 6

HEATHCOTE VALLEY.

ELECTRIC LIGHT SWITCHED ON, What, way termed "n «lny in kn'iil liisiorv " wns cfiltdtrnhrd Inst ovoihiijj: l»y rcsidonts of llio lloiillKotr, Ynllcy wjird of tho IleatJioote County district, tit ji, lnoctinji 1 told in tlio 1 Icotln'oio Yoiuik Men's Club Hall, tlio occfision Ixniij; tho ofliciul switch in <4 011 of the oloot ricily supply in. tho Tfllloy. Mr (I. Hcott, oiiiiii-tiinn of'tho Moatiicoto (miniy Oonnoil, prosidod, »nd olhors on the. )>latform includtHl Mr Klavcll, DH/iiilior lor tho riding, and Messrs Hull. Burton jirnl Anderson, nwrabors of the oonnoil. Ajwlogien for abs'-MH-o worn nueivod from tho Mi.'yor.s oi' Lyi/Ulton jiikl Woolstoii. Tiu; hall ivji.s <M'ovvdoi 1, all hoi tig ropros<'Uto(i. Apart from one ca.iullo opotnno; of (ho proooodin^s. Mil<• chairman, asked Mrs Flavoll to perform Uio (;er<iiiion.v of unlocking tho switch boa rd, and juoisoiitod her with a gohl ko.v for the, purpose. Mrs I'lavoll carried out tho formality, and amid cries of admiration tho hall was flooded with brilliant lifrjit, festoons of different coloured globes ;r 1 vinjr a vcr>; pleahijin, effect. .Siinultaneously tho street lamps worts illuminuted with unaceuhtoiiied radiance.

In thanking Mrs I'lavoll, .Mr Scott, said bo looked upon the meeting a i s a red-letter day for tho Ileatbcote County. Thov all knew oi ilie difficulties experienced, but that I'Veii'inK'» proceedings would eyesitually j.iovo t.ha.t ijie majority o| Hi<-, < oiiHollor wer»? proetM.'ding on nidii T'i/nf would prove their atlitnd" lo Ie- cor reet. The electric lif/litinj/ >-.y<'X"in had eoino i.o stay. Not. ;-.i, very Jonj} ago electricity was mainly for tb" wealthy, but now i-v<ty v:<itktu</ tnan could enjoy the benefit*. Th«: cnincil asked the residento' a'-.-ti'itatie'-. to imiho the undertaking -t ; o:n.e/al t.'t' Ho eoniidently believ«,d tluit it would bo -a general htiecc.'-. At tie. <ord of the first year ih«',v would loivi- SS!'/) to tllii good. Kleett i' it V ' ou)d \><t used for many doincjitie t-ervi'i-:--; and would Ite a great, laboiir-;-avni;', iactor. For the fake of ihe wive, and children the men should get, the, light iir*ta!led in their homos. fn tlio <iit-Iriri they had l.'irt houses, and sixty had already arranged to take the light. That alone would make the. undertaking a roral success, but they 'wished to more. They wanted to pay for the scheme -within ten years. Tho ward would pay £'J 12s Ikl for each of its street lights, as against .£3 paid by the citizens of Christchurch. Ho thought it his duty to give such comparisons. Tho income already assured from lighting power would bo .£16.), and front tho thirty street lamps £7B los. At tho present time tho ward was paying about £4O for the street lighting but they would bo only toq pleased to increase the cost of the lighting seeing the great improvements. Tho expenditure annually would bo £227 7s (id. As the income already assured was £244, they had a balanco on tho right side. Their present contract was for three years only. Mr Scott dwelt on the improvements in the lamps used, this bringing down the consumption of current for the light given, and concluded bv declaring that it was an insult to the County Council to sav that it could not get electricity supply as cheap as any other body. He would soon be severing his connection with the county, but. in his .sixteen yeans' service ho had seen great progress. llr .Flavell detailed the prices for lamps, etc., and the arrangements for the collection of accounts. If people liked to deny themselves a decent light they could cut the expense down to what they liked. If used reasonably a fixed light would prove cheaper every time. The meeting was also held to celebrate tho completion of the, drainage contract. Some houses had already been fitted up. The dry weather experienced hud been most fortunate for the furtherance of the drainage construction. There were few places the same size as the Valley that had drainage and the electric light. The ratepayers would .never regret the small rate necessary to pay for the advantages. Mr Barnes (engineer) was to be congratulated on the manner in which he had carried out the two schemes. A meeting of ratepayers would be held shortly to discuss details connected with advances to householders who 'desired either the lighting or drainage installed. Mr L. Birks (Government Engineer) in congratulating tho district on installing the. new light, said that tho display could be seen from Fitzgerald Avenue, five miles away. Practically, ihe United States had supplied the material hitherto, but from now they would use, tho resources; of New Zealand. He congratulated the. district on tho general aspect of the electricity scheme. The prospect of a prolit in the first year was almost unique. The V.illey w.is tho first of the suburbs of to take advantage of tho Lake Coleridge supply and the residents deserved congratulations. The work bad been dono most effectively by the county engineer. (Applause.) Votes of thanks were carried enthusiastically to Mr Scott, Councillor Flavell and others. Those present were afterwards entertained at supper by Mr and Mrs Flavell.