Direct power action?

Press, 26 May 1979, Page 6

Direct power action?

The North Canterbury Electric Power Board plans to take “direct action” against the increasing cost of electricity. The board wants to meet other supply authorities in Canterbury t<' discuss the price of electricity and then send a deputation to the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch). The Board’s general manager (Mr D. W. Harris) said that it would take “courage and initiative,” but urged the board to call a meeting Of subply authorities. “I think the board should quietly ano soberly work out a reasonable national price for electricity, and a reasonable price for South Island electricity,” he told the board yesterday.

Some board members did not understand the Government’s policy of spilling water from hydro lakes when they were full and then asking the consumer to use less electricity. “If we don’t do something constructive now it will be

too late,” Mr J. H. Gameson said. Mr Gameson said that if other supply authorities did not want to approach the Minister, the board should send its own deputation anyway. The board’s chairman (Mr C. H. Tyson) said that he thought the board was doing the right thing in taking a step now.