Suggest changes to: Minutes of the Electric Lighting Committee, 1901-1942

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This series were the official signed minutes of the Electric Lighting Committee, 1901-1942. The purpose of the Electric Lighting Committee, formed on 13 December 1900 along with four other permanent Committees, was to supervise the construction of a system of public and private supply of electric light and power for the City of Sydney.

The first discussions of the use of electricity took place in 1891 at a special committee set up to investigate the best means of lighting the City by electricity.

The committee met from 24 February 1891 to 19 January 1892 (AS-0009, volume 3, A-00432611). The Municipal Council of Sydney (Electric Lighting) Act 1896 was passed in October 1896 and empowered the Council to generate electricity, establish lighting in streets and public and private places, and supply electricity to private customers.

Council established an Electric Lighting Committee in 1898 to consider the best means of lighting the City of Sydney by electricity. However, while this committee met on an as required basis, it was not a standing committee of Council; the permanent Electric Lighting Committee was formed on 13 December 1900.

Despite Council opposition, the Gas and Electricity Act, which transferred ownership and control of the Electricity Undertaking from the Council to a County Council to be constituted, was passed on 11 April 1935.

On 1 January 1936 the City Council's Electricity Department passed to the ownership of the Sydney County Council. However, a joint committee of the Sydney Municipal Council and the Sydney County Council was provided for under the provisions of the Act, so the Electricity Committee continued to report to Council until 1942 when it was finally abolished.

The minutes during these last few years mainly documented the election of a vice-chairman and the last meeting recorded was on 21 January 1942.

The earliest extant minute book is volume 1 (A-00432759), covering 30 June 1902 to 30 December 1902. However, there are copies of the Minutes of the Electric Lighting Committee from 1901 and 1902 in the Proceedings of Council (AS-0029) so it appears that the first few volumes are missing.

The minutes for 1928, 1929 and the first half of 1930 also appear to be missing as volume 18 (A-00432776) finishes on 22 December 1927 and volume 19 (A-00432777) begins on 16 July 1930.

The minutes recorded matters such as the construction of power stations and substations; the extension of mains and the supply of electricity to streets and properties in Sydney as well as the outer suburbs; tenders and the resulting contracts for materials such as arc lamps, pillars, pipes, steel work, coal, cables and substation buildings; claims regarding accidents; re-organisation of the department including appointments, resignations, salaries, and duties of staff; discussion of the difficulty of coal supply; accounts and the purchase and sale of machinery, materials and land.

The minute books were indexed alphabetically at the front or the back of each volume. The indexes listed the subject matter and the relevant page number in the minutes.

The first 15 volumes were handwritten but from volume 16 (A-00432774) onwards the entries were typed (all the indexes were handwritten, except in volume 18 (A-00432776) and volume 19 (A-00432777) where the indexes were completely or partially typed).

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Minutes of the Electric Lighting Committee, 1901-1942

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Suggest changes to: Minutes of the Electric Lighting Committee, 1901-1942

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