ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 10704, 31 March 1926, Page 5

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

PROPCJSALS IN BRITAIN. OPPOSITION IN THE COMMONS. (Per Press Association— Copyright.) LONDON, March 30. In the House of Commons, Mr W. Ashley, moving She second reading or the Electricity Bill, elaborated, the scheme as outlined by Mr Baldwin at Birmingham. He added that part qt the scheme provided for the standardieation of frequency. He pointed out that only one-third of Britain was reasonably supplied with electricity. Appealing to the Conservatives, he said the Government endeavoured to sarry out the principle that it was not the Government's business to manage and operate, but only to co-ordinate control. Mr William Graham moved a. Labour amendment rejecting the Bill, *ud urging that a cheap supply waa best secured hy a State system Mr Denis Herbert (leader of. the Conservative group) opposed the meaSU A'vor«sme of Conservative criticism was poured out, including a belief that the credits requiring Government guarantee far exceed .the estimated £33,500,00©. Allegations were made that a monopoly, worse than nationalisation, would be created. There is no danger of a Government defeat.

Mr Baldwin, in a speech at Birmingham in January, said the Government proposed to establish a Board, managed bv practical men, on lines similar to the Port of London Authority, to control the whole supply of electricity throughout Britain. The Board would co-ordinate the existing stations build new ones, with its own capital, and work on purely commercial lines, the surplus would go towards reducing the cost on the plant when the interest and sinking fund were paid oft. The Government would institute the scheme with a guarantee.. It was not considered that a subsidy would be neces--1 sary.