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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Toomath, Edward Battersby

Toomath, Edward Battersby, Electrical Engineer and Instrument Maker, Aurora Terrace, Wellington. Telephone 928; P.O. Box 335. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand, Born at Karori in 1871 and educated at the Terrace school and at Wanganui College, Mr. Toomath was apprenticed to Messrs. Edgar A. Ashcroft and Co., Limited. After becoming expert in his profession, Edward Battersby Toomath page 684 he became foreman to Mr. R. T. Turnbull, the well-known electrician, and established himself in business as above in November, 1894. Since this time he has undertaken and erected many lighting installations in public and private buildings, the latest being that of the new Royal Hotel on Lambton Quay. Mr. Toomath was the contractor for the lighting of the new Baptist Church in Vivian Street, and for the Exchange Hall, which was the first place in Wellington to be fitted with a regulator for control of the brilliance of the electric light for theatrical purposes. The residences of Messrs. F. Waldegrave, E. C. Batkin, M. P. Cameron, M. Kennedy, and J. R. Blair, and several houses in various parts of the City have been installed by Mr. Toomath. The electric lighting plant of the Wanganui Hospital—one of the most complete in the Colony—which is worked by an oil engine, and has a fine storage battery, was erected under his supervision. As an inventor, Mr. Toomath is likely to come to the front; he has already invented a collar clip obviating the necessity of buttonholes, a matchbox which delivers only one match at a time, an attachment for hanging pictures, a soldering iron, and an automatic voting machine—a contrivance whereby the members of Parliament may vote without leaving their seats.