View report page

180
DUST DESTRUCTOR STATIONS.
Have our manufacturing costs been excessive when
compared with similar undertakings? An examination of
diagram No. 2 shows that while Hammersmith is not the
lowest of any Undertaking in London, those which are lower
have special circumstances to assist them. Hackney, Stepney,
and Bermondsey have the assistance of Dust Destructors, and
it is interesting to note that the actual saving effected by these
concerns is very slight, and does not go to prove the existance
of a "gold mine in the dust bin" talked about some time ago
(and incidentally confirms the contentions of the Borough
Surveyor and myself when reporting upon this question some
three years ago).
PUBLIC LIGHTING.
It is admitted that the current required for Public
Lighting is cheaper to produce on account of the better load
factor, therefore the greater the percentage for this purpose the
lower the cost should be. Diagram No. 4, shows the percentage
of supply for private purposes and Public Lighting, and
each of the Municipal Undertakings which have lower working
costs have a great advantage in this respect, their percentage
under this heading being in some cases double ours, thus
giving them a much better load factor. Only one Undertaking
has a lower coal cost, viz., Hackney, and this has a Destructor
TOTAL UNITS SOLD.
Turning now from the spending to the earning side of
the Department, the total output, including public and private
supply, is 4,220,736 units, the relative outpnts of other concerns
being shown on the attached Diagram No. 5. From this it will
be seen that the Hammersmith Station has the largest output
for power purposes of any Municipal Undertaking in London,
in spite of the fact that this is not considered an industrial area
and is served by single phase alternating current. Only the
small percentage of 13% of our output is used for public street
lighting, whereas in some, districts as much as 37% is supplied
for this purpose.
This is an increase of 576,590 units compared with
last year, in spite of the fact that last year's figures were
largely augmented on account of the Electrical Exhibition at
Olympia, and for which there was no corresponding output
this year.
This is also the first complete year in which the
reduced price of 3d. per unit has been in force, and on account
of this the revenue during the two summer quarters was actually
decreased by £1,646, but the total for current sold during the
year shows an increase of £335.