The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1909. MUNICIPAL LIGHTING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2678, 7 December 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7,1909. MUNICIPAL LIGHTING.

A few weeks ago we 'drew attention to the success which had attended the use of a new light that is being used in the town of Waipukurau, and a Press Association telegram published in this issue again brings the matter in view. For the benefit of those who may have overlooked the article in question, we will briefly re-state the facts. A little over a year ago the Waipukurau Town Board made arrangements with the Twentieth Century Company to have its streets lighted with petrol gas. . . After a month’s trial the Board took over the plant itself. In the winter months trouble arose, and this caused the chairman of the Board, a local engineer, to experiment, with the result that he patented a now burner, which was used with apparent satisfaction. Following the matter up, lie subsequently invented a new method of obtaining gas from petrol, and the results are said to be startling. The tradespeople of Waipukurau are loud in their praises of the invention, which it is said supplies a light quite as good as that obtainable from coal gas, is much safer for ordinary use, and infinitely cheaper. Several of them in testimonials published recently in the “Waipukurau Press” frankly stated that in their opinion Messrs Chambers and Booth had struck a “good thing,” which would oust coal-gas from the market wherever the two were brought into competition, and would net the patentees a handsome fortune. Now we are told that Messrs Chambers and Co. aro negotiating with the Lord Mayor of Sydney to light that city with Dreadnought gas by the beginning of January. Of course it must not be assumed that the New South Wales capital is to be given over at once to the Waipukurau inventors. What has. probably been arranged is that permission has been given to experiment with the gas in some of the Sydney streets. Even this would indicate that Sydney experts have discovered some exceptional merit in the Dreadnought gas. We are more than ever convinced that our own borough authorities might do worse than make some inquiries on this subject. Wai-, pukurau is not far away, and the expenditure of a few postage stamps would provide the borough with information that might be very useful. If the statements that have reached us are correct, the Waipukurau people have something which is better than either coal gas or electric light as an illuminant. ,

est mind will the onerous nature of this duty, which should command the most profound consideration of tlio best minds of" the Dominion. Yet, we must unfortunately admit, it is joyfully undertaken in many instances by men whose chief credentials are that they have an admirable gift for “turning phrases and are constitutionally litted to become good “party men” ; in other words, that they are usually ready to sink their own personal con-victions-at the bidding of a party leader. Still mere unfortunate is the fact .that what business they do transact is transacted at just that period of the 24 hours when they are least able to give it their best consideration. When the matter was discussed in the House the other day Mr G. M. Thomson, of Dunedin North, asked the Prime Minister if he would be in favor of Parliament sitting three days a week from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., leaving two days clear for committee work. Mr Thomson’s object in asking the question was, ho said, because it appeared as if the House was working on a policy of exhaustion. They had seen members whipped in late at night to a division about which they knew nothing, and afterwards returning to their slumbers. If members had come to do business, they ought to he able to do it in the mornings when they were fresh. It was reaching the point of a public scandal. That morning he had seen the couches carried into the various rooms from the library, so that they could be available for the members to sleep during sitting time. Mr T. H. Davey reminded members that four years ago the late Mr Seddon tried to alter the hours, but it was found that older members preferred existing hours, while many preferred to talk to crowded galleries, which could not be obtained except in the evening. Mr J. A. Hanan made a useful suggestion in stating that a good deal of time might be sieved by the taking up of Bills at die stage at which they had been left 6ff during a previous session of the same Paxliament. He likewise struck a vital weakness when he said the scramble for public works ought to be done avay with, the House recognising that it was a chamber for dealing with national questions making for the political and social welfare, instead of occupying a public works beard. Mr James Allen said an immense amount of time would he saved if the Government was ready with its Bills at the proper time. The .Prime Minister is evidently in favor of a reform in the direction outlined. Pie declared that he would like to see the House start at 9 and finish at o. That was. the proper way, just as a man went to business. II ut "'hat did they find ? Men who went away on Friday night, not attending to their duties, were anxious to have midnight sittings, to enable them to get back on tlie following Tuesday. Anybody could do the work in the interval. It the House knocked off at o, they would not see that waste of time talking to the gallaries which went on.. However, if he proposed starting at 9 and stopping at 5, it would be strongly opposed though it would be one of the greatest reforms. Members: Try it. ■ . x Sir Joseph denied-the suggestion that the Government was not ready with its work at the beginning of the session. Who started a long debate on the Ad-dress-in-Reply ? It was the Opposition. It would bo better for the House to meet in the morning, and sit until itfinished, but time was wasted in talking on Bills which no member knew of by raising a debate ou the introduction of the measure. He was against the process of exhaustion, but things had to be regulated in this world according to conditions, and if they found members talking by the hour, and then going home to bed, leaving others to go on with the work, what else could be expected but a process of exhaustion for those who did the work? If speeches were to be made on the introduction o' - a private member’s Bill, about which other members knew nothing, he would —if he were a private member—move every time to throw it up. When he moved to amend' the Standing Orders to prevent a recurrence of this, he found the Leader of the Opposition protesting that it was an invasion of the rights of members. The position is obviously a difficult one —not by reason of any inherent obstacles to the reform—but simply.because the members themselves will not combine to make the change which, they profess to desire.

Tenders for the booth and refreshment stall at the Whatatutu Racing Club’s meeting'on Boxing Day will bo received by- the secretary (Mr. Iv. A. Morphy) till December 14th. Mr J. G. Coombs, of Sydney. New South Wales, lias produced aiimvention for perfecting the tone on the Edison phonograph. Mr. J. I'L dittos, agent for the invention, and inspection is invited at the London I iano aa Music House, next Mr. Reynolds establishment, Gladstone Road. Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., leaves for the Coast this morning on his usual judicial round. He -expects tq he by the 16th inst., when an endeavor will bo made to clear off all Court business before the Christmas vacation. Mr. T. A. Coleman also goes to tne Coast this morning. The championship billiard tournament at the Victoria Billiard Saloon will be resumed to-night after a long interval between the games. The game to-night will be between Te Kara I ere and F. Wilkinson, and it is expected that the tournament will be brought to a conclusion inside a fortnight. A mishap occurred on Saturday which prevented the Pathe Pictures showing Bleriot’s Channel flight. lo countract the disappointment caused the public, the management announce having secured a film depicting ‘ Aviation Week at Rheims,” which vill be shown for the first time to-morrow night. Mr. A. Williams, architect, has received the following tenders far the erection of a residence in Stanley Road:—lt Scobie £585, Black Bros. £525, E. P. Williams and Co. £49/, M Haisman £489, J. Colley £4/9 ICE, J.' Mackrell £-126. Evans,- Nield and Co. £414. The tender of Evans, Nield and Co. has been accepted. Christchurch is still hoping for its canal despite the opposition or tne majority on the Lyttelton Harbor Board. At last meeting of that bodj Mr. J. A. Frostick was to have moved that the board set up a special committee to further investigate the matter, but the Chairman ruled the motion out of order, and the matter was therefore postponed. Another sign that Dominion population is leaving the older settled districts.—The Appointments Committee of the North Canterbury Education Board reported at last meeting of the Board that the number on the roll at the Ashburton Forks School having fallen to six, including the teacher’s children, it had been decided' to give the mistress three months’ notice' in order that the school might be closed. A short sitting of the Tai Rawhiti Maori Land Board was held yesterday morning. Only two cases were dealt with, the first being the granting of an application to lease Wharpkaka D, 68a 2r 18p to Mere Rangima, for 21 years. The other case was in connection with Rangikohua block 58, 26 acres, and it was decided to recommend that the restrictions upon it be removed in order to allow a sale to Mr. A. M. Beale. A meeting of the ratepayers of the Borough of Gisborne will be held at His Majesty’s Theatre at 8 p.m. on Friday next, December 10th, to consider the borough loan proposals. Speaking to a “Times” reporter last evening, the Mayor said that he desired to correct an impression that had gained ground to the effect that the meeting was to determine whether the proposals be put separately or in a consolidated form. The meeting, he said, .'j was merely to discuss the proposals with the ratepayers, as it had already been decided by the Council to pul the pro[xisals as one loan. A Christchurch gunsmith, on the subject of carrying of weapons, said to a press reporter that the practice, so far as Christchurch was concerned, was practically unknown. Fresh arrivals from Home, oil the other hand, usually brought out an assortment of lethal weapons, ranging from hunting-knives to rifles and revolvers. The average new chum, the speaker said, appeared to think that on coming to the Dominion he would probably -have to fight for dear life occasionally, with painted savages and wild beasts. He also had an idea that game of all kinds and sizes could be had anywhere for the shooting.