MONOWAI POWER SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21867, 21 August 1936, Page 10

MONOWAI POWER SCHEME

CONTROL BY BOARD OS GOVERNMENT? - ' « BALLOT RECOMMENDED BY . | COMMITTEE . '' * IFrom Our Parliamentary ReporterJ WELLINGTON, August 20,

Important recommendations are con-

tallied in the report of the special canmittee of the House of Representatives set up on Tuesday to deal with the petition asking that the whole of the undertaking of the Southland Electric tj. Power Board be', taken over by the * Government- The committee which recommended that the petition be referred to the Government for consideratioop presented its- report to ■ thn ; - ;t||| House late’ this afternoon, the debate 39 cn the Imprest Supply Bill being interrupted so that the committee might report. Thp recommendations were submitted by the chairman b£ the com-

nuttee. Mr J. Thom (GoVL, Thames). Uhe reoort was as follows: — U> That a postal ballot be taken of all ratepayers of the Southland ■ trie. Power Board district. ' i2) That the issue of the ballot be: iP) i vote lor the retention of th* electrical undertaking by the board. (b) 1 vote for the transfer of the electrical undertaking, to the Government. . -.jj ,3> That the Government accept responsibility for repaying the loan due by the board in London on September

15 next. , , (4) That in the event of the postal ballot showing a majority of the ratepayers in favour of the retention oC the undertaking by the board, the Government loan money to the boardat the full charge, including sinking fund, which would have been incurred, by the board had it accepted the offer of the underwriters, which lapsed on . ■ August 12 last. (5) That in the event of the pcstaa. ballot showing a majority of die rate- - . . payers in favour of the ,.j the Government's offer as submitted . 4 to the beard, the Government take ever the assets and accept the respoajribility for the liabilities of the bcatt^ the transfer to be completed i_ possm-e , by September 30, 1933. _ (6) That the legislation necessary te _ * give effect to these recommendation* be introduced into Pariiamentat once- - “I am very happy to be able te saa» that the chairman of the Power Mgd personally expresses his safasfaett® with this arranger»nt and prefers ® to the taking over of the + without reference to the ratepayers said Mr Thom, after reading the can- ~ mittee’s report to the House. No recommendation was made ny the committee in its reoort on tee - petition oraying that the State of the loan to be raised by toe - Southland Electric Power centembe- 15 be extended from 13 to 25 vear«. that every assistance be to th- b-a-d in connexion with its redemption loan, md that, the swm-y £ ' electric newer be made _ tv>o board by the Government on sa-i abi« terms. pitber * i There was no discussion -nort, end after them -resenta. ote Wmif" resumed the Imprest wU.. ” Bill debate.