Power Board And Two Counties To Disappear

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 10

Power Board And Two Counties To Disappear

New Zealand's second oldest power board, a county which was once the most populated in the country and one of its offshoots will go out of existence tomorrow The power board is Banks Peninsula, the major county Selwyn and the other Springs.

The Banks Peninsula Electric Power Board will be merged with the Sp ringsEllesmere board to form the Central Canferbury Board, which will administer the combined area. The Selwyn and Springs counties will disappear as a result of amalgamation ■Wienies affecting the Selwyn Malvern, Ellesmere and Springs counties. The basis of the power boards’ amalgamation is an agreement that the high Banks Peninsula power charges will be reduced to the Springs-Ellesmere level over five years The merger is said to be beneficial tn both areas, as the peak loads of the existing boards occur at different times. . _ <

The Banks Peninsula board held its first meeting on February 27, 1920, being constituted soon after’New Zealand’s first board. Southland, was formed. A loan of G 100.000 was raised, secured by a rate over the district Power was first turned on in the Motukarara - Lyttelton harbour area on December 24. 1921. and in most of the rest of the district by April. 1923. Rating was discontinued in 1943.

The board took over the Akaroa town Water-powered plant, which had been installed in 1911, and this was worked on a stand-by basis until 1955.

In its 43 years the board has had only three engineers and secretaries. Mr J. R Templin was consu l tarot for the original reticulation, and its assistant, Mr F A. Lewthwaite. was appointed engineer in 1921 He retired in 1956 and was succeeded by Mr R. P Thomson, who resigned last year because of the pending merger. Mr G H. O’Callagtian was the first secretary. He was followed in 1921 by Mr H. L Lewthwaite and, since 1954. by Mr D M Paulin. The chairman of the board •Mr W A Newton) has been a member since 1937 He will represent the Akaroa county on the new board. Mr P G. Wederell will be the new board’s member for the rest of the Banks Peninsula district. Counties’ Merger Most of the Selwyn county will be absorbed by the Malvern county, and the Rakata riding will be merged with the Ellesmere county The county was constituted under the Counties Act of 1876, taking over responsibility from the Canterbury Provincial Council and the work of several roads boards. Its area then was north and south from the Rakada river to the Waimakariri river and east and west from Christ, church city to the Southern Alps. Tawera and Walmairi counties were the first to be taken from Selwyn. Later the Malvern. Ellesmere. Springs. Halswell. Paparua. and Heathcote counties and the Sydenham borough were constituted from the original "ounty area. The name Selwvn will be oerpetuated as that of a riding in the Malvern county The Springs county will be merged with Ellesmere.

1025 Candidates.— a record 1025 candidates have been nominated by six parties for the Canadian General Election of April 8, British United Press reported.— Ottawa. March 27.

Service Extended. War pensioners former naval personnel and the wives and families of men still serving will be accepted for treatment at the Royal New Zealand Navy hospital at Devonport when beds are available.—(P.A.)