POWER PRICE INCREASE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28435, 15 November 1957, Page 7

POWER PRICE INCREASE

“No Explanation To Consumers”

A leading article in the latest issue c- “Live Lines.” the journal of the Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association of New Zealand, criticises last month’s Dominion conference of the association for making no proper plans to tell electricity consumers why they will soon be paying more for their electricity. “With increased bulk rates and retail tariffs in sight, little thought appeared 1o be given at the conference to convincing the con-1 sumer that the course to be fol-• lowed is the wise one—that by . paying more now he is insuring • his electrical future.” the article] says. “It is no doubt appropriate for the Minister-in-charge and his general manager to relate a pleasant story of co-operation and proi gress—except with gas—but we j must not lose sight of the most j important person of all. who. we suspect, remains unconvinced and who unfortunately was not pre;sent at the conference. "The proposal of a levy on each consumer to make available capital moneys while strongly supported by the conference to enable . more generating stations to be built and overcome recurring electricity shortages, has not yet I been fully placed before th coni sumer “The conference has no ground for pride ... in what it failed to • do. At a time when the need | was never greater it demonstrated a complete lack of a co-ordin-ated public relations policy. ; "The secretaries’ president . . said the public was confused; [ the president of the association i himself said there had been ‘irresponsible comment by persons jin high places.’ "This being the case, and in the absence of authoritative statements couched in a language | understood by the people, then the | conference did disclose a lack of achievement,” the article says.