Power-board building opened

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 6

Power-board building opened

The occasion marked the completion of 50 years of service to the community and an overdue centralisation of its administration, said the chairman (Mr L. F. Chamberlain), when he declared open the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board’s new office block at Hornby yesterday.

Although the $400,000 building had been in use for some time, its groundfloor showroom will be open for the public from today. The new building, adjoining the engineering block on the Main South Road, is occupied mostly by clerical staff. Those present at the opening ceremony included representatives of councils in the board’s district, other power supply authorities, manufacturerers, and Federated Farmers, former members, the chairman of the Electrical

Supply Authorities’ Association (Mr A. W. Goofier), its seceretary (Mr L. C. Heir) and a member of the Electricity Distribution Commission, Mr F. Rhodes. Mr Chamberlain said that the board was formed from the amalgamation of the Springs-Ellesmere board, established in 1920, Banks Peninsula (1919) and Malvern (1923). A s7m asset had been built up, and turnover was approaching s4m a year. “It is a fast-growing

board,” said Mr Chamberlain. “There was an 11 per cent increase in our load this winter, a mild one, and we have been averaging a 6 or 7 per cent increase in load each year over recent years. The centralising of the administration at Hornby is a realistic step—for 17 years, llomby has, in effect, been the head office, although the accounting office was at Leeston. The centralisation completes the amalgamation of the three former boards.”

Mr Chamberlain described the building as spacious and plain to the point of austerity—just what the board had asked its architect (Mr D. E. Donnithome) to produce. It was a functional building, without frills.

He especially welcomed Mr J. S. Simpson, the last surviving original member of any of the constituent boards.

It was a historic occasion, said the chairman of the Paparua County Council (Mr D. H. Warren). There could be no better tribute to the work done by past and present members over the last 50 years than the new building. Mr Warren said that the board’s public relations were excellent, a reflection of the abilities of the executive staff. He thanked the board for allowing the council to use the third floor of the new building while a floor is added to the council chambers, and for the use of a ground floor room as a temporary library for Hornby. The photograph shows Mrs Chamberlain unveiling a plaque to mark the board’s fiftieth anniversary. Others, from left, are Mr S. E. Slatter (general manager of the board), Mr Warren, Mr L. J. Griffith (deputy-chairman of the board), and Mr Chamberlain.