Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1945. NEW DEPARTMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 47, 5 December 1945, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1945. NEW DEPARTMENT

The fact that members of the Opposition offered no criticism to the Electricity Bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives on Monday night, is a .clear indication of how country members view the measure. The reticulation of the Dominion as a whole has been an enormous undertaking, and many difficulties have been encountered and overcome. The larger towns and' cities have enjoyed the benefits of hydro-electric power for a long time, but people living in the sparsely-populated areas have not been so fortunate, and the new Bill aims at bringing to them all the benefits enjoyed by the city dweller. Up till now the Works Department has had the task of handling the, producing and supplying of power in bulk,.but under the new Bill it is proposed to set up a State Hydro-electric Department, which will handle sales, leaving the constructional side of the system in the hands of the Public Works Department. To ensure satisfactory and efficient working, the two departments will co-operate to the fullest extent. It is also proposed to set up a Rural Electrical Reticulation Council comprising the General Manager, one other officer of the Department, and three members recommended by the supply authorities through their organisation. The Council will have authority to make a small levy equal to one-quarter per cent, of the total revenue of the electrical supply authorities, which will create a fund for the payment of subsidies in sparsely-populated areas. In the first year it is expected that this levy will produce about £23,000, and it is hoped that it will grow in the second year to £40,000. Supply authorities have been in favour of some such scheme for a considerable period, because they have not been in a position to help back-country settlers, who have been required to find a guarantee of up to 15 per cent, anchmany of them, as a result, have not been able to meet it. At the present time the cost of electricity varies considerably in the different centres, and now that all consumers throughout the Dominion will be contributing to assist people in the sparsely populated districts to secure electricity, something should be done to bring all the charges into line. It is claimed that the proposed levy will be sufficient to reticulate 1500 miles of line in the next two years, and on that basis it will be a slow job. However, it is definitely a move along right 'lines, and perhaps before long much-needed improvements will 'be effected in existing services.