PRICE OF ELECTRICITY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3044, 3 April 1917, Page 8

PRICE OF ELECTRICITY

REPLY TO RECENT COMMENT,

Whilst the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) was absent in Christchurch, comment was made by a correspondent to the Press_about the ' charges for electric light in Wellington..; The gravamen of the criticism was that the small consumer was paying too much for his light in comparison with the large consumer. .In reply, tile Mayor said that there was no cause for complaint,. as the charges in Wellington were considered'most reasonable,, in comparison with those charged elsewhere. As with all other commodities, it'was only reasonable that large .consumers should be charged a less rate, as in the'latter case there lyere fewer meters to be read,. and less work in t keeping the accounts of one big consumer as against a number of smaller ones. Then, again, there was no minimum charge for users of electricity (as there was for gas), except as regards; those users wio used motors, fdr power, in which case there was a minimum charge of ss. per. month, when the system of generation was considered-—steam as against wate r power—the ,|cost of electricity to the [ small consumer, in' Wellington, must bo considered reasonable. Indeed, lie that tho Wellington people ought ,to congratulate themselves that there had,been no-rise in the price of electricity.: ifor', lighting , purposes, as the cost'of coal and all 'manner of electrical ■' supplies lia'd considerably increased 'during'.the' period of the war.' Asisuppof.tihg his. statement, the Mayor said 'that .the' charge ..for., electricity to; the small consumer, in. Wellington (whfcre" steam .generation w.as necessary) 'was th'e same as in Cliristchiirch, wufcre vwater power was the medium of generation. In. Wellington the .cliargc was Bd. per unit, less 2d. discount, whilst in Christchurch it was 7d. per unit, less Id. discount, if the account was paid before the 14th of the month (vide the Christchurch fcorporation's year book of 1914-15). ■ '