Council Help Wanted On Power Rates Increase

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31028, 6 April 1966, Page 9

Council Help Wanted On Power Rates Increase

Discussion of the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board’s decision to increase power charges from next June was deferred by the Paparua County Council until after a joint meeting of council and board on April 19. The council accepted an invitation from the board to meet it to discuss matters of common interest. Or. J. U. Barclay said the feeling was that the council should tell the board that it should not subsidise to too great an extent its charges to rural areas.

Also before the council was a letter from the Hornby Residents’ Association, which said that the board would apply a blanket increase of 12 per cent on its domestic charges from June.

The association said it considered that this imposition on urban consumers was not justified, and that a burden, in addition, would be placed on ratepayers. The council’s advice and assistance were sought.

As the council had decided to meet the board, it should express its views after that meeting, said Cr. H. W. Bennett.

The question was referred to the council’s Hornby, Sockburn and rural districts committees, Cr. A. Y. Shuker saying the committees would be meeting after the discussion with the board.

By-Pass Road.—An impending subdivision of Church land to the west of St. Peter’s Church, Church corner, involved the provision of a by-pass road from Yaldhurst road to the Mato South road, reported the engineer (Mr A. Dyhnberg). The by-pass was a master traffic plan recommendation, and sooner or later a decision would have to be reached as to who would meet the cost.

New Buildings. Among permits for £157,918 worth of building work, major items were £34,000 for a turbine

house and control room for Kempthorne, Prosser, Ltd., at Hornby, £18,321 for grandstand additions at Riccarton racecourse, and £17,000 for a factory extension for Wholesale Refrigerators, Ltd., at Sockbum. Ambulance Work.—A request from the St John Ambulance Association for use of council land to establish a training centre at Hornby, and, possibly, an ambulance station, was referred back to the association for more information as to its requirements.

Denton Park.—lt was decided to ask an architect to prepare a development plan for Denton Park, making provision for sports bodies to build their own pavilions.

Vandalism. Damage to buildings at the Templeton recreation ground and WycoQa Park was reported. The council decided to require £5 deposits on future bookings of reserves.

Subdivision.—Approving a Canterbury Jockey Club subdivision, the council decided to require two sections at the Racecourse road end to be set aside for a reserve, and the payment of £9OB to reserve contribution na fosd£tnigv-K contribution and of £570 for frontage improvements.