E. E. STARK.]

23

1.—13.

Edgar Everett Stark examined. (No. 7.) 128. Dr. Findlay.] You are a graduate of the College of Applied Science, Cleveland, Ohio, and were made a bachelor of science in 1886? —I was. 129. Since when you have been engaged in connection with electrical industries for several years ? —I have been engaged continuously since. 130. Since when?—lßß6. 131. That is, for eighteen years you have been connected with electric lighting, traction, and motive-power industries ? —Yes. 132. Were you connected with the Brush Electrical Company? —Yes, in Cleveland, Ohio. That company was the pioneer in the arc-lighting business in our country. 133. And you were engaged with the Brush-Swan Company? —Yes, I went to New York and had charge of their installation-works in the New England district. 134. Had you any connection with the Manhattan Electric Light Company? —Yes, I was with them for five years. I started as chief inspector, and before I left I was acting as superintendent of their works. 135. You were also with the Ward Arc-light Company? —Yes, I was with the Ward Arc-lighting Company of New York and other companies. 136. You claim that you have had a very wide experience in this kind of specialty -lighting, traction, and motive power generally? —Yes; I was also with the Stanley Electric Manufacturing Company, who were pioneers in the transmission business. 137. You were specially engaged to come down to New Zealand to inspect the Waipori Falls electrical power ? —I was. 138. You came to New Zealand in 1903 under engagement to the company? —Yes, for six months. 139. What was your undertaking? —I was to make a report upon the plant and draw any specifications that might be required, and report to the Board. 140. And on the feasibility of generating and transmitting power to the consumers? —Yes. 141. Did you make a thorough investigation? —I did. 142. How many months were you occupied in that? —About six months, including the time 1 was on the ship. 143. If you found that the property h'jre was not likely to turn out so well as was expected, were you to return to California? —I was. I had simply a leave of absence from my employers, Messrs. John Martin and Co. 144. We understand that the population of Dunedin with its suburbs is fifty-three thousand? —Yes; that is, I take it to be so from the census returns. 145. What, in your experience, do you figure out as the consumption of power on the first installation proposed for private and public lighting? —In my very recent experience, particularly with the Bay Counties Power Company in California, where we had charge of the installation in some fifteen towns —that is, the installation of the distributing system—it was my practice when with that concern to allow a capacity equal to one sixteen-candle-power lamp per capita; and it was my experience that after I had finished that I had underestimated the consumption rather than overestimated it. That was the average of those fifteen particular towns which were supplied by a water-generated electrical plant. 146. Applying that test to Dunedin, what horse-power would be requisite? —For Greater Dunedin a horse-power of 5,000, and if for the city alone, 2,500. That is for supplying the electric light for domestic and commercial purposes only; Ido not include in that, motive power, or the tramways, or street-lighting. 147. What would you give as a preliminary estimate for the street-lighting? —Well, in a district which is so much scattered as Dunedin, with no regular blocks of streets, the light would require from 200- to 300-horse power for the streets alone —that is, for arc and incandescent lamps. 148. What proportion of the steam-power at present used in Dunedin would be likely to be displaced by electrical power if it were available at half the cost of steam?— The whole of it. 149. You think the whole of the steam-power would change to this power? —Yes; that is, steam-power which is used as motive power. 150. Do you think there would be any difficulty in your company furnishing power at half the cost of steam in Dunedin? —No. I expect to be able to compete successfully with steam. 151. You heard Mr. Goodman say that the Corporation would be able to bring its power to the power-house at a cost of £4 12s. per horse-power per annum, running twenty-four hours? — I did. 152. Would that be the cost to the Corporation if it were distributing that power among private consumers? —No; distinctly not. Mr. Goodman did not state that. 153. What additional cost would there be in distributing that power to consumers per horsepower—can you give me any idea?—l can give you an idea. It would cost anywhere from £5 to £50 per horse-power, and would be dependent upon the distance you had to run your mains and the quantity of horse-power you were called upon to deliver at the other end of the line. 154. I take it that 3-ou cannot say with any definiteness how much additional it would cost over £4 12s. 1— It you gave me a concrete case of any definite place I could figure it out. 155. Have you considered whether all the horse-power at present used as motive power would probably pass to this electrical power ?—I would not think that all would, because there is a portion of the motive power being worked by gas that could not all be changed. 156. Have you considered how much of the present horse-power would be changed to electrical power?—l should think somewhere about 1,600-horse power in Dunedin proper now could be changed to electricity to the advantage of the consumer. 157. I desire to have the advantage of your experience for the purpose of showing what effect upon new industries the providing of cheap motive power such as this has?— Cheap motive power