Sole energy authority?

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33478, 8 March 1974, Page 3

Sole energy authority?

<N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 7. The Government would Ire looking seriously at the j possibility of having gas, electricity and coal distri- • buted by one energy • authority, said the Minister of Electricity (Mr McGuigan) in Auckland today. He and the Minister of Energy Resources (Mr Freer) and the Minister of Mines (Mr Colman) are Working closely on coordination of different forms of energy. “The time has come when we can no longer look upon energy as a commodity for sale but as a resource which must be used to the best advantage of the whole country,” said Mr McGuigan. “Unless we do this the

time will come when our natural energy resources will have been used up.” Gas would play a much greater part as a premium iuel in the future. The activities of power boards would be considered by the Local Government Commission when it was formed, Mr McGuigan said. One of the commission’s tasks would be to determine how energy resources could best be distributed. Mr Freer was giving very serious consideration to extending gas distribution. “We have to make sure that the entire energy resources are being used to the best advantage of the country—this has not been done in the past,” said Mr McGuigan.