Coin meters sought

Press, 25 March 1981, Page 6

Coin meters sought

The Christchurch City Council should be willing , to provide about 240 prepayment coin metres for persons who had trouble meeting higher power bills, said Cr Vicki. Buck yesterday. . ■ ■

That number of metres would cost $40,000, instead of the $2OOO proposed by the Municipal Electricity Department, which would cover only about 12 meters. Cr Noala Massey said there was not sufficient information on the cost of

administering such meters, or the number of residents who would require them. However, the public utilities committee recommended the higher spending. The M.E.D. expects to spend $8.4 million on capital works programmes this year, a 40 per cent rise in a department that does not depend on. rates. Much of the increased cost comes from a $2.25 million conversion of the Armagh Street sub-station to 66,000 volts to cover demand for electricity when the Christ-

church Gas Company stops supplying gas. i ' There could be a 2.2 per cent rise in power sales this year. Most of that svould come from sales to consumers who have changed from gas to electricity. The committee agreed with Cr M. R. Carter that the Minister of Energy. (MrBirch) be reminded of his promise that an alternative L.P.G. supply would be available in Christchurch when the gas operation stopped in 1982.