POWER BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 142, 19 June 1933, Page 8

POWER BOARD.

KING'S WHARF STATION.

PAYMENT FOR MAINTENANCE.

Negotiations carried out with Government Departments and the Bank of New Zealand and the Auckland Electric Power Board on six matters were reported to this afternoon's meeting of the board by the general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley. The most important related to outstanding accounts for the operation of the King's wharf plant during repairs and remedial measures at Arapuni. "I am pleased to report that we have ibeen able to ma".:e satisfactory arrangements," said Mr. Bartley. "We experienced a good deal of diili-. culty, principally on account of the interpretation of the words in the agreement relating to the period of interruption of the supply," said Mr. Bartley. "The department contended that Rings wharf stand-bv plant might be operated for one month in order to meet an emergency which might occur' at any time, but that', in the event of no interruption taking place during that period, the whole cost fell upon this board. This is citing an extreme case, but it is suflicient to convey the meaning placed on certain -words by the Public Works Department, contained in tho agreement. As will bo imagined, we had long and strenuous interviews in this connection and finallv agreed to a compromise eliminating certain items in our accounts, in order to get the matter settled. _ "These interviews necessitated seeing the acting-Prime Minister and the newlyappointed Minister of Public Works on more-than one occasion. Although the Minister of Public W'orks.has not long .taken' over his duties, we found him quick to grasp the position placed before him and he extended every facility for a satisfactory conclusion of the matNegotiations on this- and other matters had ended satisfactorily.