LXVIIL. EK. K., SCOTT. 
line. The pins on the Waipori to Dunedin transmission | 
are of galvanised iron 2 inch diameter sagged down where 4 
they enter the brownware insulator. Portland cement 
mixed with water to a thick liquid is usually employed to 
fasten the iron pins to the insulator, but sulphur and 
litharge and glycerine have also been used. Brownware 
is preferred to white because the insulators are not sucha 
tempting target. For pressures above 60,000 volts the pin 
supported insulator is not suitable, as it becomes too tall 
for mechanical strength. An entirely new type has there- 
fore been developed in which the wire is suspended from 
the under side of the cross arm by several porcelain 
dish-shaped disks, held together by steel wire loops which 
pass through eyes in the insulator. 
Of the various methods of taking care of lightning, the 
water jet arrester seems to be the most certain. The horn 
arrester is much used, and the objection that the time 
taken for the are to break is enough to set up dangerous 
surgings, can now be met by arranging aluminum cells in 
the earth circuit. These cells have the property of shutting 
off one half of the alternate current wave, and thus the 
current is broken instantly. 
Summary.—In conclusion, the writer would like to em- 
phasize the following points :— 
(a) There is some natural water power in Australia, 
and the Barron Falls installation is one that should be 
worth carrying out. The Queensland Government should id 
either do it or let a company get to work. ae 
(b) In no other country can large bodies of water be 3 
cheaply conserved and for the peculiar conditions of Aus- 
stralia such conserved water would be almost as good as a 
gold reserve. Pa 
(c) With a proper provision of balance reservoirs, ty 
water from irrigation dams could be made to develop quite 
respectable amounts of power all the year round. _ 
