Page 9 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19612, 7 May 1929, Page 9

MHBUBTON ADVERTISEMENTS.

ASHBUKTON ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

BEPLY TO MR GALLAGHER. TO TEE .RATEPAYERS: INDIES AND CENTLEMEX.The considered opinion of eleven members w the Board on il.e necessity tor carrying tL Loan t'roposal on Wednesday nejtt has Ilnad* been p.*c«u before you in the paiuphtir diitnbutoii last wm«- The argument* w the one remaining menioer. Mr Gallagher, T« covered m his manifesto, published in Saturday** -Guardian, and are such that ?£v call for • reply, the mora so because thar are misleading. Indeed, we suggest that if he hmi takcn *" y intert ' Bt ln '"a «nrk as » member he would know that some i his statements are contrary to fact. "'r Gallagher says that the Bor- J &i!ed twelve mouths ago to convince ntfMr*" of the necessity of a lc ", , B (r»ins from telling you that quite i 'ante majority of the ratepayers at that Tims voted in favour of a loan, but not large anough to provide too requisite three-fifths majority. Until the prmfciit Loan Proposal came up an months ago, Mr Gallagher has never n any indication tint he disapproved «I ths Board's policy in any way. His oppction in this case is hused on an inadequate h>*Wro of the affairs of the Board. Firstly, Mr Gallagher states that as jtM.UOO has bon spent, the rate payers are sntitleu to a concern paying out of revenue. Tbia would have been quite sound had only the original scheme been carried out, but the mileage of line erected * double that aJ. the original scheme, hundreds of extra Muumers have been connected, and tho load ora than double that anticipated. In «oß*equence of the extensions and the wider now being made of electric service, re money must be spent on the main Hats, yet Mr Gallagher very illogically op- - - i this. The Board's scheme IS a sound -iition, but. like every growing business, ret more capital to develop it. Mr Galfher aays it seems to him "very bad .sineas, because the Board, already having pent £326,000, seeks to borrow another JM.000." lie is careful not to tell you that the new loan will be 3pread over a number of years and can only be borrowed anil spent in such sums and at such times as are approved by tho Loans Board. The special duty of the Loans Board is to protect the people from unwise expenditure by local Bodies, yet it has twice approved of •ur Power Board Loan. If Mr Gallagher's argument is a good one, than Hi'mt of the successful business undertakings in the world have been guilty, by increasing their capital at different periods •f their careers, of stupid indiscretions. Secondly, Mr Gallagher is opposed to the Board's trading policy. We wish to state emphatically that the salesmen have been tho greatest factor in the building up of revenue, whi'.e the policy haa been the means ( saving thousands of pounds to the conimers. The benefits of the trading departisnt must be apparent to Mr Gallagher, as n« himself has taken advantage of this department to the fullest extent. If you want business and progress you must at least look lor it. Mr Gallagher's policy spells stag--itloo and ooniieiiuently a rate. He wrongly .aggeits that it is proposed to extend this department, ignoring the fact that provision mast be made in the new loan to carry on the work now being done under the old loan. No extension of the Department is proposed. One might suppose from Mr Gallagher's statetints that most of the Board's trading is _one on the time payment system, while the actual fact is that out of 630 electric*ranges •old, only flfl are subject to time payment. Mr Gallagher's statement that "Burely a business that ha.s coat £328,000 ought to fay its way without employing canvassers, •to." suggests that he thinks that the larger the capital expenditure in any concern the lens need there in to neck business to ensure Its financial success, which is absurd. Also, unite inaccurately, he states that the price ot electricity is the same to-day as before the advent of Coleridge power. Mr Gallagher must surely be aware that the price •f current before the Board took over was lOd per unit for lighting and was at no time less, except during the three months in Which the Board had control after taking over from fha old Company, and before taking the Coleridge current. The Board's highest rata for lighting ia 8d per unit, but only a small percentage of the consumers pajr this rats only. The other* all come on to lower rates, varying from 3d down to Id per oztft. On two oecuslons since It took ever the Board has reduced th.e number of rinds charged at Bd. The average rate for •Jomentn- service has fallen each year, and is now only 2|d per unit. Mr Gallagher, being ■well aware nf those facts, should not make tuch misleading statements.

The Power Board system not only places j very essential service at the disposal of the people, but is a valuable addition to the -luntry'a assets. It undoubtedly will be a .ortgage of the ratepayer*" properties if they follow Mr Gallagher's advice, but if _ they adopt our recommendation the Board's revenue will pay off the debt. again, Mr Gallagher states that "any urgt work might well be paid out of reserve im hand without Impairing that fund." Just how Mr Gallagher can spend the reserve withit impairing it is not clear. How can the oard spend it» reserve and still have it ? Unfortunately Mr Gallagher will not look a day ahead. It is not that he cannot, but limply that he has taken up a stubborn attitude from which he declines to budge. Host ratepayer* know that when the Board took authority to borrow £326,000, it was never anticipated that at the present stage ef its history it would have carried out the tmmenie work that it has done. It was never anticipated that the demand for current would require it. That work must now be strengthened and provision made to supply those who, tor various reasons, have been unable so tar to take current. Are those persona to be deprived of current because Mr Gallagher and a few who think with him choose to sit haek and enjoy their already acquired comfort. To the normal mind it seems grossly uufair •ad shockingly selfish. if the Board has not misspent the £326,000 that it has already dealt with (and we submit that the Board's reputation throughout New Zealand Is at least some evidence that it has spent wisely) the ratepayers should be •We to place further trust in the Board In the natter of expending a further snm •f £BO,OOO distributed over « number of years, and only when the same is absolutely •Mentlal and definitely revenue-producing. If you have any confidence that we have iena a good work in the past—we auk you to trust lis a little further and enable us to Hake lueeess stilt more doubly sure. Yours Faithfully. WE BRYANT H. J. OROTHERB J. W. M. DAR.T ANGUS HORSEY W. T. LILL HUNTER MORRIS B. f. m00r.,!. W. H. RUNPLE STANLEY SMITH F. W. WATT W. H. WOODS.

THI ASHBURTON ELECTRIC POWER BOARD. ■O THE RATEPAYERS OF THE ASHBURTON COUNTY. *•"*»• and Oentlamen— I am offering myself for election as one * wish it to be clearly understood that I Mpraeiate ¥«iry fully the splendid work •one by those who have worked so hard fcr the scheme since its inception, and it i« *ith no spirit of antagonism to them that * offer myself for election. The Board ha* many difficult problem* at • present time and I feel that new blood »T b« of assistance in its deliberations. , There is a, further reason in that although take no parochial view, there ia no tneniw ol tha Board resident in that important Jhatriet between the Hangitata and Aahbur*>n rivers, ihe railway to the hills. I respectfully solicit your support on election day, the Bth inst., and if elected, -pledge ■yself to do rny best to protect the inter- •*• of County Consumers and Ratepayer!. Your* faithfully, R. J. MULLIGAN. SBAI'IIKLD SCHOOL JUBILEE. PAST PUPILS of the abova School are * requested to forward their names and Mwauaa •■ ioon ss possible to ALBUKT BENNISON. Address, Seaflald Rural. Ashborton, '" ». J. DEW. Hon. Sac^tefjr.