M.E.D. manager to retire this year

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 6

M.E.D. manager to retire this year

Mr Paul Shelley will retire from Christchurch’s most powerful job later this year. As general manager of the Municipal Electricity Department for the last 16 years, he has been responsible for the supply of power to more than 95,000 consumers. His successor is expected to be named at the city council’s monthly meeting next Monday. Mr Shelley will retire on November 1, when he will have served 40 years with electrical-supply authorities. In his 16 years at the M.E.D., Mr Shelley has seen the number of consumers increase 50 per cent and the 'maximum power load almost 300 per cent. But he says there have been no great changes in the department. “The M.E.D. has carried on much as it always has done,” he said. “The only important change was when we switched from 11,000 V to 66,000 V lines.”

Mr Shelley was born in Manchester, the son of Professor James Shelley who was to become New Zealand’s first Director of Broadcasting. The family moved to New Zealand in 1920 when Paul was aged seven. He was educated at Cathedral Grammar School and Canterbury College. He says he was not influenced by his father in his choice of career but remembers a grandfather and two uncles who were engineers. Before joining the M.E.D. in 1962, Mr Shelley worked for power boards in North Canterbury, Hutt Valley, and Nelson, where he was the city electrical engineer for 14 vears. He has seen the emphasis on power use change from greater consumption to con-

servation. He also sees a good future for electricity:' “The days are going to come when all the rivers capable of generating will be harnessed for electricity.” He does not foresee any amalgamation of power boards. “I’m a bit cynical about it. There have been commissions and commissions since I’ve been in supply authorities and you can see how far it’s got. . “I wouldn’t like to see authorities eet too hiw. ihp

local touch is desirable.” Mr Shelley says that any amalgamation of city and country boards will be a disadvantage. City interests would have priority for finance over country interests. In the case of greater Christchurch there would be room for one supply authority if there was one local authority. in retirement Mr Shelley plans to spend more time in the workshop of his Christrhiirrh hnmt>