POWER FOR FRANKLIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 20, 24 January 1929, Page 20

POWER FOR FRANKLIN.

ADDITIONAI. LOAN OF £75,000.

FOR FUTURE EXTENSIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) PUKEKOHE, this day. '"Load development in the Franklin electric power district has been so rapid that at present the electrical load is now 50 per cent in excess of the amount originally estimated upon in the third year of our operations," stated the engineer, Mr. T. R. Overton, at a special meeting of the Franklin Power Board yesterday afternoon, when proposals were under consideration to 'raise additional money to effect improvements to the existing reticulation, and to extend the system to the remotest parts of the Franklin district, including Hunua, Happy Valley, Mangatangi, Miranda, Waiau Pa, Karaka, Mauku, Glenbrook, Puni, Pollok, Awhitu, Maioroand Paparata.

The board, after lengthy deliberations, decided to ask the ratepayers to give authority for a further £75,000, the. expenditure of which will be spread over a period of five years.

During the discussion it was pointed out that if the authority was given, the board would be able to grant reductions to consumers, of at least £d per unit on milking motors and half the annual meter rents to all consumers. It was probable that -greater reductions could be made, but a reduction in excess 01 those mentioned would not be promised at this juncture. On the other hand, il the ratepayers turned the proposal down, reductions could not be made, as .extensions would have to be paid for out of The operations of the board to date were claimed to be highly successful, as after writing down depreciation on old plants, approximately £20,000 had been placed to reserve for renewing reticulation. It was also stated that the policy adopted in the past, that ol erecting new lines only in localities which would return a profitable load, would be followed in respect of the proposed £75,000 loan, thus obviating tW necessity of collecting a general rate.

Formal application is to be made to the Local Government Loans, Board folks sanction to the uplifting of the money, while a resolution : was also passed defining a policy of financing extensions to the reticulation out of loan moneys, profits on revenue acount to be utilised for reductions in charges after the board's security has been soundly provided for.

It was agreed to make further representations to the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, with a view of inducing the Department to hand over the main transmission line from Bombay sub-station to Pukekohe, free of cost to the board.