Page 68 - KBHA BULLETIN 7
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commercial depression has to a great extent been responsible in retarding
progress of Municipal activities in our Marine Suburb.” These two short terms in
office gave Haworth little time to achieve anything substantial and he merely
kept the “wheels turning” awaiting better days ahead, especially with regard to
the Royal Road Power Station.
Long delays were experienced with the arrival by sea (“S. S. Bulawayo”) of the
Royal Road Power Station’s machinery from the British Westinghouse Electric
and Manufacturing Co. This delay increased the costs as cable had to be bought
locally at a higher price from the Standard Electrical Telegraph Co., who were
the only suppliers. Another problem was that certain of the steam pipes received
did not fit and were not in accordance with the specification. Re-ordering meant
even further delays and Rick Haworth must have been well pleased when, as
Mayor, he officiated at the opening of the Royal Road Power Station on 3
September 1907 with W. Runciman Esq. of Simon’s Town. He also officiated at
the opening of the Carnegie Library, as well as representing the Kalk Bay -
Muizenberg Municipality at the Union Celebrations.
Mayor A. T. Rutter 1908 – 1910
Alfred Thomas Rutter was Mayor from August 1908 to February 1910. He was a
resident of Lakeside, after whom Rutter Road is named, and retired as Mayor in
February 1910 due to ill health. He passed away three months later.
He succeeded Haworth and in his Mayor’s Minute noted the continuation of the
prolonged economic depression which resulted in little activity in the
advancement of the Municipality, but he did have the pleasure of seeing “The
Drainage and Electrical Lightworks Scheme” fully functional. It had taken
nearly five years from December 1903 to September 1908 to complete the
mammoth task, instead of the estimated eighteen months. The drama of J. V. C.
Collie, the disruption of the main road, the tensions in the council, the dismissal
of the Municipal Engineer, the endless claims for damages from flooding and

