THOSE THERMOSTATS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13332, 20 December 1943, Page 2

THOSE THERMOSTATS

CONTROL OF WATER HEATERS

Cost Of Installation

Recommendation Of Supply

Authorities

‘-I would have liked to have seen the whole cost borne by the board and the Government but there seems little hope of that,” declared Mr S. C. Baron at the monthly meeting of the Tauranga Electric Power Board last Thursday, when a recommendation by a conference of supply authorities held recently in Hamilton, with regard to the installation of thermostatic control on waterheaters was being considered.

A report on the conference by the deputy-chairman (Mr H. J. Clarke) stated that the chairman of the Auckland Regional Rehabilitation Committee, reported on negotitions with the Gowernment' departments regarding the proposed subsidy on thermostats. The meeting approved the tentative proposals submitted. It was resolved that all supply authorities in the ’Auckland Province be recommended to adopt a standard method of applying the subsidy. A sub-committee was appointed and retired to work out a recommendation. This was submitted as follows: — “In the case of thermostat installations costing up to £6 (including cos. of thermostat) —Government one third, supply authorities one third, consumer one third. In the case of jobs costing over £6 —Government £2, supply authorities £2, and consumer the balance. This was unanimously approved. It was also resolved that it be a recommendation to all supply Authorities to grant financial assistance, free of interest, to' consumers making the changeover, who required such assistance. It was intimated by Mr Baron that he would like to give notice to move that a resolution of the board, whereby it was decided to make a grant of £1 toward the cost of installing the thermostats be recinded and that effect be given to the recommendation of the conference. He said that the recommendation did not go as far as he had been agitating for. He would have liked to have seen the whole cost borne by the board and the Government but there seemed to be little hope of that.