The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-13
To MAKE
TEST OF
METERS
Electric Lights
Cause Much
Talk.
MEASURERS WHICH
WORK OVERTIME
Eccentricities Which Are OeveI
oped by Tab-Keepers Upon
Lightning Used.

| ~ UT OF the many objections which
Ia Eare being raise almost daily to
~ pills for electric lighting, there
may come a general testing of the met
ers of the company which furnishes
light for the city, and until there has
been at least a semi-official seal set
urcn the reliability of the measure of
the mysterious current, there promises
to be more or less, probably more, Of
criticism of the corporation by the US
ers
| Several of the largest users of elec-
trieity in the city are now considering
a proposition that there be called into
the service an outside electrician, who
shall make thorough tests of the Watt
meters which are in use, and examine
them to determine ;heir efficiency IL
the plan is approved there wiz be an
arrangement which will be something
like this: In the event of a contested
bill the expert shall be called into the
house, the meter given a test as thor
ough as possible. If the meter shall be
found to be correct, then the bills. of
the company and the expert, shall be
paid by the user If the meter shall
be found to be appreciably incorrect,
the expert shall determine a basis of
settlement and the company will cor
rect the bin and pay the expert.
That there are objections to the bills
for light which have been sent to
many persons is evident, since it is a
matter of common discussion. even the
street cars being an arena for the DE-
bates upon the merits of the system
and the price which must be paid for
lighting. Conversations overheard in
dicate that there are many men, some
OF the most prominent in the city's life
who use lamps in their homes on ac-
count of former experiences with the
electricity, upon which they base their
claims that bills were excessive. One
of these declared yesterday in the hear
ing of several persons that he would
never again use the electric lights.
while friend, to whom he made the
statement. announced that in house.
now building, there would not be in
stalled electric wires, so that he might
never be led into the use of the cur
rent.
Manager Gartley of the Hawaiian
Electric Company is making every eff
fort to reduce the friction which has
developed and to supplant the older
meters which We're in use, putting in in
very case new Westinghouse meter.
Speaking of the matter, he said: There
ire many objectors to light bills who
10 not take the trouble to consider the
causes which may have led to an in
;rease. and as soon as they note larg-
II charge begin to find fault with the
We are always ready TO
make every test which is asked and TO
adjust any difference when it is possi-
de. And when the user of electricity
nay believe that his meter is working
90 fast, and he wants to change his
system of payments, we at once pro-
-ide for his service upon the fat rate
proposition, which was laid down in the
,ct passed by the Legislature of 1892
,eing chapter 1O5 Of the session laws
which provided for the service Of cleo
ricity in the city of Honolulu.
THE section which relates to the
.harges for lights is the 14th, and is as
ollows:
q" Section II. The rates to be charged
~ the contractor shall not exceed the
GLOWING rates for each 1e candle pow
r light viz:
q. .r-or all night use. or for use by sa-