LIVELY MEETING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 158, 16 April 1928, Page 2

LIVELY MEETING

POWER BOARD LOAN. CHARGE ON MILKING MOTORS. MR DART AND MR CARR, There was a lively meeting at the Highbank School on Saturday niglit when Mr E. F. Nicoll •explained the Ashburton Power Board's loan proposal to a good attendance of ratepayers. For the most part, the meeting took on a humourous -vein when questions were called for, and several young people thoroughly enjoyed tne cross tahi. Toward the' end 3 however, there was a serious argument, and the young folk gaped in astonishment at the baide oi words between two well-known local body men. iVLr V. Rouse presided. Opening his address, Air Nicoll thought it would have been much better had. there been larger gatherings at the Board's meetings, as tne Board , was in the position of a large company of which the members were the directors, and the ratepayers were the shareholders, to whom the Board had to account of its stewardship. He thought he could show that the-. Board had done work that was worthy of the ratepayers' confidence.

The "Guardian's" Leader.

At the conclusion of his address, Mr Nicoll referred to the leading article which had appeared in the "Guardian" that night, dealing with the loan. In that article, he said, there was a great deal with which every thinking man and woman must agree, so far as the public indebtedness was concerned. But there was not one word concerning the welfare of the ratepayers of this County. It was quite true, as pointed out in the article, that electricity had not caused more wool to grow, on the sheep's backs, or more grain to grow on the stalks, but he claimed, "on behalf of the Power Board, that the people in the country were entitled to all the comforts and conveniences which those in the town enjoyed. The people in the town had what they wanted, and the people in the country had just as much right to the same conveniences. The article had rightly advised prudence ; it was a perfectly reasonable article; but there was nothing in the opinions expressed which , would cause him to falter in his ideas as to the position as set before the ratepayers that night, and at other similar meetings in the past three weeks. In the develop--1 ment of electricity .only the surface had been scratched. The Board did not propose to embark on a big scheme of new development; it was not going to carry lines anywhere and everywhere with the money it was asking for; its desire was merely to strengthen the lines in order to cope with the increased and increasing business offering. The amount the Board proposed to spend was strictly limited, and the total, when spread over several years, was, comparatively, by no means large. The Board's ''Missionary."

In a letter that had appeared in the "Guardian" this week, he and the chairman (Mr F. W. Watt) had been called "missionaries," but for his part he did not feel like a missionary, and he did not think he looked like one. He had gone about the country, speaking night after night, merely to explain the Board's policy. If he was looked upon as a missionary then .ho must expect to be attacked sometime. A voice: Yes, and be eaten, too!

Continuing, Mr Nicoll said the Board considered that the spending of the money asked for was absolutely essential to the well-being of the system. There was no question of taking money away from mortgages or industries, for the money that had been put into the Board's loans was money that had been set aside by investors specially for sinking in local body loans. The ratepayers had the thick end of the stick. The Board had done its duty, and the matter was in the hands of the ratepayers. (Applause.)

The "Penalty" of Dairymen. 1 In reply to questioners, Mr Nicoll said votes could not be recorded by poet. A voter had to attend personally at the booth. With regard to the question of milking motors, he saad the Board hoped that by next winter there would be so many milking motors on the system that the extra charge could be taken off. The. Board's rates in this connection were very favourable when compared! with those of other boards in the Dominion. The Board did not want to penalise dairymen; it was a business concern. More motors were being put on the system all the time, and if it was not paying owners, then they would not be coming on. Mr W. K. Wilson thought it was not fair to compare North Island districts with Ashburton County. Could the Board justify its charges when dairying was really turning the wheels of industry ?

Mr Nicoll said he was not comparing any one North Island district, but was taking many districts, and the Board's charge was better than the average of some, while it stood high in the total list.

"With regard to the peak load, Mr J. Carr said this came at 11.30 a.m., and why should dairymen be charged the extra rate when their motors had not come on that peak in the past six months ?

Mr Nicoll said that the Board was acting on the advice of its engineers and following other boards', and was not out to penalise its consumers in any way.

Mr Carr added that other industries received a special rate when they came on the peak, while the dairymen came on in the trough of the load and had to pay the extra. Was it a fact that if a cooker was installed the average rate per unit would rise from 2d to 3d, with the £6 per horse-power taken off? Mr Nicoll said that was so.

Mr Carr went on to detail individual cases which he had dealt with in his letter to the "Guardian" last week. Mr Nicoll said the rates were all competitive, and they had to be set at a figure that ejnabled the Board to compete with its rivals. If 20 more dairymen came on the system with motors, then the extra charge would be taken off. I

Enthusiasm of The Board. Mr Wilson said) he could not understand the Board's methods. If, as it said, all their lines were paying propositions, why should some of the consumers be penalised? Mr Wilson at-

tacked the sales organisation of the Board, and said he thought there was boo much of it. Practically every other day he got pamphlets through the mail regarding the equipment the Board had for sale, and pointing out the advantages of having electric light about the place instead of tripping over the cat m the dank. (Laughter.) Mr Nicoll said this was a day of rush after business, and! the business concern which did not go out after business went under, that was all. Mr Wilson, amid further laughter, thought the enthusiasm of the Power Board was runing away with the members. Nicoll thought there must be a little bit of "leg-pulling" that night. (More laughter.) Question of Balance-Sheet. Mr Carr thought a balance-sheet (subject to audit) should be published at the end of each year. Mr Nicoll: Then you should pass a vote of no-confidence in the auditor. There was nothing to hide, and there was no reason why the Board should not publish its balance-sheet. Everyone knew that they were permitted to attend the annual meetings of local bodies, but how many ratepayers attended them? None ! They took not the slightest interest. A general cross-fire of questions and answers followed, all in a more or less humorous vein. ' ' I see the chairman beginning to get restless/' said Mr Wilson at last. "That's all right," said a voice. " This is jolly good fun!" Challenge to Mr Carr.

Mr J. W. M. Dart (a member of the Board) commenced to speak of Mr Carr's attitude toward the loan, when a voice broke in to to remind the speaker that there was a reporter present. "That's all right," said Mr Dart. "I want this to be reported." He went on to eay that Mr Carr had made reference to his grievance against the Board regarding the fixed charge for milking motors. (In effect, Mr Carr had said that he had' gope to the chairman, but had been unable to get any redress. He had gone to the engineer, with like > result. They would not listen to him, he had said, and other members pf the Board would do nothing, as they did only what the engineer and the chairman told them to do. Mr Carr had expressed the opinion tha't the chairman absolutely dominated' the members of the Board. He had gone about the district giving the impression that he would oppose the loan because of his grievance. Ratepayers of that district had been led to believe that there would be some fun at the meeting, and he had even been invited fco attend on that account. . There was no doubt that it .was Mr Carr's meeting. Mr Carr jumped to his feet lo protest against this statement, and two or three others demanded that Mr Dart should withdraw his remark. The chairman asked Mr Dart to withdraw.

"All right," said Mr Dart, "I'll withdraw. This is not Mr Carr's meeting!" He went on to say that Mr, Carr should publicly deny that he had created this impression, if it was not true. He had always been an admirer of Mr Carr's public work, but he disagreed with him in his present attitude/ Mr Carr had 1 allowed himself to cloud the issue, to draw a red herring across the trail. Ratepayers should not judge the loan proposal in the light of complaints such as Mr Carr had made. Mi- Carr: Does this refer to my vote? Mr Dart: No. To your influence in the district.

Mr Carr: I say that Mr Dart can not find one instance where I have said that if I could not get a reduction in the motor charges, I would use my influence against the loan. I have never made such a statement.. That disposes of the charge that I have been drawing red herrings across the track. Mr Dart: Why, you have mentioned it to me.

Reply by Mr Carr. Mr Carr went on to say that he was chairman of a Dairy Company and had interviewed the Power Board regarding the charges on motors. He was told that the motors came on the peak load and therefore had to bear a penalty. From the dairyman's point of view electricity was the cleanest method to be had, and even if it cost more he would not cut it off; but that was no reason why the dairyman should be penalised. There was always the risk of fumes from oil and kerosene engines. He wasf using his public position to get the Board to see his point of view. He had interviewed the chairman and the : engineer and had got no result, and he had interviewed the two local representatives and had got mo result. He was doing what he had done, solely on behalf of the industry. Mr Dart: But you have given the impression I mentioned. Mr Wilson: It should not be said that the chairman is dominating the members of the Board. Mr Dart: I don't care whether that is reported or not. Mr Carr made a statement to me personally. This ended the discussion, and on the motion of Messrs Rouse and Carr a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Nicoll for his address.

Mr Carr added that he intended to carry on his grievance till he got some satisfaction, and until he got it the Board would find him a bit of a nuisance; but he wanted to say thn.t he did appreciate what the Board hi; done. The ratepayers should congratulate themselves on the excellent type of men they had on the Board. Mr Wilson said he gave place to none in his high opinion of members of tbe Board. I

Mr Nicoll, in reply, said he wanted to express his regret that the latter part of the meeting had developed into a cannibal feast, even thdugh "the missionary" was not in it. (Laughter.) As far as Mr Carr's contention was concerned he felt he must say that at the least Mr Carr had been met in some way by the Board. He expected Mr Carr would admit that.

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