POWER RETICULATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 122, 26 May 1930, Page 10

POWER RETICULATION.

— » i — SILVERDALE DISTRICT. DISCUSSION IN COMMITTEE. LETTER FROM MR. COATES. Following receipt of a letter from the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates regarding the reticulation of the Silverdale district, considerable discussion arose at the meeting of the Waiteniata Electric Power Board this morning as to whether the matter should be dealt with in committee. Mr. Coates, in his letter, said that having received a copy of a resolution from Mr W F. Green, on behalf ot tnc Silverdale residents, regarding the reticulation of the district, he would be glad if tho board could render him- some assistance in the matter and he loped that the board could see its way to reticulate the area referred to at an early date. » Mr. G. Trevithick, the chairman, •thought that the matter should be discussed in committee to enable the members to speak freely. . Mr. W. B. Darlow protested on going into 'committee as the matter was, of public interest. Mr. Trevithick pointed out that the matter had now become a .discussion between the board aud the residents of Silverdale. It was more than "usual business. How.cvcr, if objection was raised, he said that there was no necessity for'the board to go into committee. He had only proposed that to. give the members a chance of speaking freely. Mr. Darlow: Why should we go into committee and gag ourselves as far as the public is concerned? Mr. Mackie moved that the discussion be taken in committee. He said the public would be fully cognisant of the doings of the board because the matter had to be referred to the open board after a decision had been made in committee. It was decided that the engineer's report on a canvass of the district be read to the open board. Mr. F. J. H. Wilson said that in canvassing the area he had been accompanied by Messrs. Green and Parkerson and had called on consumers, whose requirements had been noted. .Where consumers had not been called upon the probable annual revenue was 4 'noted on the estimate of Mr. Green. It was found that the annual revenue would probably be £727. The capital cost % for reticulation, would be £0250, and the guarantees'would amount to £1250 per annum. Mr. Darlow: It would not be a payable proposition. Mr. Mackie's motion that the board go into committee for discussion of the question was then put and carried. It was decided that the board reply to Mr. Coates in the terms of the engineer's report, pointing out the .present situation.