DISSATISFACTION IS EXPRESSED

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13335, 23 December 1943, Page 4

DISSATISFACTION IS EXPRESSED

POWER BOARD AFFAIRS Meeting at Omokoroa Settlers in a Critical Mood Convened by Power Board consumers of the area, a meeting was held in Nicholas’ Hall, Omokoroa, on Friday night. By invitation of the consumers, Mr S. C. Baron, a member of the board was present to speak on matters connected with the recent Borough Council Power Board litigation and to answer questions which they wished to put. The large audience was in a critical mood and there were many questions. Introducing Mr Baron, the chairman (Mr H. A. Gardner) said that the meeting had been called to arouse consumers to an active interest. in the supply of power and Power Board affairs. It seemed “pretty tough” when two local bodies could not reach agreement without going to the Courts and costing the ratepayers thousands of pounds with the result in the finish, of the Power Board, which represented them, crashing. 'things had come to the stage where they should hear from a member of the board, and Mr Baron had been chosen. Mr Baron had been playing a lone hand against the rest of the board and had had a very hard time. Two Points There were two points he wished them to have in mind during Mr Baron’s address. The first, that as consumers they had been supplied with power received by the board from the borough, and they had paid the board for it; but the board had not yet paid the borough. The other was an incident following the meeting of the Farmers’ Union at Katikati, which sent a deputation to the borough and the board to try and settle the dispute, then almost before the Supreme Court, for £12,000. He could bring a reliable person before any meeting to prove that the following statement concerning this had emanated from the board: “A crowd of farmers at Katikati have the audacity and the hide to tell the Power Board what we should do.” In his opening remarks, Mr Baron said that it was to be regretted that no other member of the board was present. He would speak plainly and answer any questions. , If he could not give satisfactory answers, he would at least give honest ones. “I am prepared to stanjl or fall by the veracity of any statement I make now or at any other time,” said Mr Baron. It was up to everyone to take a live interest in Power Board affairs, he continued, because eventually they were the'payers. He had tried with letters to the Bay of Plenty Times to get the consumers thinking. It had been - said by a wellknown German that the German people could have got rid of the Hitler business in 1933 if they had taken an interest in things. A questioner; All meetings of the board were held in committee and the press could not be represented. How could we know what was going on? Mr Baron: My letters were published and could have been read giving the facts as far as I was able. In any event I moved 18 months ago and repeatedly since that the public be admitted, but I couldn’t even get a seconder. It is true the farmers at Katikati woke up and acted, but they were too late. A voice: But we put the board in as directors to look after our interests. They are apparently not doing it. Efforts to Arouse Interest Continuing, Mr Baron said that lor three successive months he attended meetings of the Farmers’ Union at Katikati to .try and arouse interest in these matters, but met with the reply that it was not a matter for farmers, but for ratepayers. They lost three months and were as a result, too late to stop the litigation. He had been concerned not over the amount to be paid, since that was fair and reasonable, but to stop the legal costs which he estimated now at between £6OOO and £7OOO “out of your pocket and mine.” Mr Baron then gave a general outline'of the events which led up to the case being taken to the Appeal Court and the findings on appeal and their effect. At the conclusion of the meeting,

Mr R. McClinchie moved meeting expresses no con the present hoard and oh < ratepayers to appoint an honour Pe The n chairman: Isuggest^* it “an acceptable person Mr McClinchie: All Ug ceptable, but you know yj? —“acceptable person lfca t the council with an ass a new board will be ele will meet its honourable debts.” . f r om a There were objet x number that such a ie of include Mr Bawn as of nothe board, m the e P confidence. jjjr W° n It was suggested ■ be excluded hy name. a Mr Baron: No- n °, ot he cJ* her of the board and ’“The meeting ■ * vote. of. thanks to >» ba d very surances that his a much, enlightened^