RICCARTON BOROUGH ELECTRIC SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17585, 14 October 1922, Page 9

RICCARTON BOROUGH ELECTRIC SUPPLY.

SO Tins EDITOR or 4 "the pbess." Sir, —In the Riccarton Town OerPs letter published in your issno of the 11th instant, it is suggested that the wording of the Electricity Committee'B report on the above subject maJres it appear that the Boronsh Council had acted unfairly in, the matter. There is no suggestion of unfairness, unless it 3»© to th© Riocarton rntepaV/jva. The City Council's surprise was? at the Jit range ®hoios of a higher rate when not eWn a request had been made to retain the lower one. Mr Gee's letter states that the Riocarton boronfjji acknowledged th© letter from the City Council, accepted its decision, and immediately set about making other and better arrangements for

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its supply of electricity. Th© fettS*' 5 from- the general manager «f the JBStop* ; tricity, Department followed immediate- ,H,, ly upon my letter, and made clear Mp- ■ reason for terminating tho formal flow* / tract. Little could haro been dorse iff- \ the borough between receipt of the tw*» letters, and whatever was done did bow ' secure better terms. "• The contact, as tl»a Ebocarton Boal- - Council must be wlaware, waft of, such & form that, had it not baes terminated bj ikso actio©, it would b» , j automatically renewed for a farther period of thrc© years. What tiao Ootid* oil's notice provided against, prim wily, ' wttß this automatic TOnawcJ. of tbe con* tract for a further period, and it» pBJ» 1 > pose was to ensure an opportunity ol reviewing th© terma of th© oofiiraes*:!? - J neoeasary. » '» ''jj My letter and tl» formal coxmntlinJO*tion signed by his Woreliip the Mayor and myself, gave the necessary legs! notke, and the B.'«ctricity Comatitutt 1 , made a point &£ instructing the gciwiw miaiager of the- department to write ifttj a -less formal way, and explain tb« object of terminating , the oonfcract. ' j ally, the rates ia the borough "a coatnMA s . were the sam» as those recently offered to Waimairi, and tbere wa» no propoaiil to' alter tiiam, but it waa thoaghf desirable to alter th® form of coafcMrtj, in ' order to avoid the future «a , it being indefinitely continued in «w event of faihu» to give netioo. i Without oven enquiring, eith«r ly "phone, personally, or omciaMy, th« T Kiocarton Borough Council «i«ct«d to purchase the bulk of its supply from ttt® Government- at its printed supply rates, i viz., £% l(k per kva. per, quart®-, as \ compared with the rate of £$ fot p«3 : k.w. per quarter paid to t"b« tttj GtKUV> - 1 c£l—a rate not lower in price, m& iMtMd on k.w. instead of kva. It was not unnatural thxt stteh a pro* < oeeding, whii» it was & nutter of c&tfe* , faction to th® City CounciL in view of potsibie future shortage of dtil f . givo ooeuaion lor some mirpriss s«ss, ' • , H*. E. SMITH, ■