WAIMAIRI POWER BOARD

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 6

WAIMAIRI POWER BOARD

Sir, —Why are members of the Waimairi Council’s electrical staff making a canvass of suitable householders asking them to sign a petition for the council’s electrical department to become a power board. These men have been doing this in the council’s time, using the council truck and licensed petrol and being paid perhaps £6 a week of the ratepayers money to do it. It seems to me that members of the council are frightened to place the full facts before the ratepayers. Why do they not call a public meeting and state the facts fully instead of using this hush hush policy? Why are they going round the rural parts saying that if Fcndalton Roes into the city under present conditions the rural parts will have to have an increase in their electrical charges. What tale will they tell the Fendalton people, or will they leave them alone and try to drag them in to the power board so that they can pay for the rest of Waimairi.-Yours. etc.. RATEPAYER. December 3, 1942.

[On the letter being referred to the chairman of the Waimairi County Council (Cr. Chapman) he said: We have a good story to put out when the time is opportune, but at present my hands are tied, as the council is discussing certain matters in committee. We are not trying to prevent anyone joining with the city if they so desire. The only aim we have in view is the protection of the ratepayers’ property, the council’s electrical department. What we want is greater power—the same as that possessed by other power boards. At present we have not the power to trade the same as the city and power boards.”]