New Office Block Deferred

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 21

New Office Block Deferred

The Central Canterbury Electric Power Board has decided to postpone a £200,000 building project for at least 12 months because of the country’s economic difficulties.

It has also urged that economic measures be not so stringent that the future national electricity needs cannot be met. The board’s decision not to build a new office block is in answer to an appeal by the Electricity Supply Authorities’ Association that members do all they can to assist the economy. The board has asked the Local Authorities Loans Board to hold back its application to raise £200,000 to build new offices. In a letter to the Loans Board, the power board said it was willing “to suffer the inconvenience of lack of office space and the disadvantages of having its engineering and secretarial offices in different localities as a contribution towards the recovery of our country from its temporary financial difficulties.”

The president of the Association (Mr A. W. Gooder) said in a letter to the board that it was the duty of members to ensure they took their part in assisting the country through its present financial crisis. “Whether we like it or not we must all do our part in restraining overseas spending,” he said. “In the electricity supply industry because so much of the materials we use are imported either as raw materials or manufactured goods we have a particular responsibility to see our requirements are kept to the barest possible minimum.

“To some extent, restraint is being forced upon us by the difficulty in obtaining loan money. To the extent that we consider we are being unfairly hampered, the association is making strenuous endeavours to have the position corrected. It must be obvious that the future will be more difficult in this regard. “It is obvious that many authorities are plannng to obtain their capital from revenue but the full effect of this is unlikely to be felt for a year or two yet.” Mr Gooder said the short term financial difficulties were in the field of overseas funds and that should be the main sphere of restraint. Many authorities would have made commitments which could not be altered.

“But I appeal to you, if you have not already done so, to conduct a survey immediately with a view to curtailing as much expense as possible par-

ticularly when it relates to the expenditure of overseas funds. “Several authorities have already informed me that they have grasped the nettle anil have found satisfactory ways of gaining results. “Without in any way causing danger to persons or property and even if it results in long-term uneconomic reticulation, authorities are finding it possible to use alternative and cheaper methods of either providing supply or strengthening existing reticulation. “The use of old but perfectly satisfactory materia] is one source of saving. The jointing of inconvenient lengths of cable, the use of old cable boxes and scouring of slow moving stock has all helped to relieve the strain,” he said.