ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 898, 18 August 1910, Page 4

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES.

CAN LOCAL BODIES SELL THEMf A matter of considerable importance to local bodies was brought under the notice of the Hon. R.'- MTvenzie (Minister for Public Works) -,by Mr. Wilford, M.P. for Hutt, yesterday.' . , . Mr. Wilford said that, according to a recent Home decision, local bodies were not empowered by,. the statute _ under' which they could supply electricity to sell electrical appliances. In other words, whilst a corporation ■ could supply light and power it could -not supply appliances, which were "really concomitants; in fact, it could hardly do' the wiring. He wished to point out that -the "Wellington Corporation, for instance, had done a lot to cheapen the cost-of Osram lamps, which were to be still .further reduced here. What he wished to know, was whether . the Minister ; would, on behalf of the local bodies throughout the Dominion, get the opinion of the Crown law officers as to whether they considered there was sufficient power- in tha Municipal Corporations Act whereby tha corporation could still supply electrical appliances notwithstanding; the recent decision at Home. It was possible, added Mr. Wilford, that any", ratepayer might, move for an injunction against a corporation in regard to the matter. . The Minister said that'his attention had been unofficially called'to the .decision. If the decision was going to hold good in New Zealand it would.be a great drawback, both to the local -bodies: and the public. It was his opinion that in New Zealand the corporations were tha proper people to place such appliance! on tho markets. ' ,He would, lie-pleased to go into' the matter with a -view to getting the reply of tho Crown law> officers as early as possible. ■■-.-: