VI. T. H. HOUGHTON. 



labor is now employed if such a readily controlled and easily 

 installed power as electricity were obtainable. 



There is one advantage we possess in hastening slowly in 

 Sydney, in that whatever authority constructs the works for 

 supplying electricity, they will, I hope, be able to avoid such an 

 unsightly view as is seen in some cities with the overhead wires. 

 The introduction of the incandescent gas burners for street 

 lighting may have the effect of delaying the advent of electricity 

 for a few years, for the streets of few cities are better lighted 

 than are those of Sydney. 



The construction of refuse destructors, not only for the city, 

 but for many other portions of the colony, is one that demands 

 attention. It has been under consideration for many years, and 

 much information is available on the subject ; the reluctance 

 displayed by the various councils to grapple with the subject 

 may be due to their desire to await the development of such a 

 system as will ensure them a supply of steam for the generation 

 of electricity, but although it is possible in England and some of 

 the cities of America to utilize surplus heat from the destructors, 

 it is improbable that the refuse collected in Australian towns 

 will have as high a calorific value as that in colder climates, 

 where coal is chiefly used as domestic fuel, and, besides, it is only 

 under exceptional conditions that the heat obtained would be of 

 a large amount. 



A large installation has been recently put to work in London 

 with the destruction of refuse and generation of electricity com- 

 bined, but as the burning of refuse has to be continuous day and 

 night, and the maximum demand for electricity is only for a short 

 period each day, storage has to be provided for the heat produced 

 during the remainder of the day, so that it can be employed 

 during the period of maximum demand. 



The sewerage of the larger towns of the colony will have to be 

 taken in hand at some not far distant date, and should afford 

 employment for many engineers ; in some cases it would most 

 probably be found that where the population is fairly concentrated 



