SIMPLICITY WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1927, Page 10

SIMPLICITY WANTED

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

PALMERSTON N., This Day

The question of the possibility of securing simplicity in meter reading and billing was introduced by the chairman (Mr. C. Campbell) at yesterdays session of the Power Board's Secretaries' Conference. After detailing alternative methods which had been considered, the chairman formulated a proposal which would have the following advantages:—(a) Considerably reduced cost of reading; (b) Fewer bills for consumers; (c) Give the board a steady inflow of revenue without (as at present) first having to read meters, and send out bills giving the result of the readings; (d) allow of a discount system for advance payment; (c) enable the penalty date for every account to fall on the same date in each month; (f) cut down the amount outstanding on 31st March each year.

The proposal was as follows:—(1) Each consumer will be required to pay a minimum charge per year in monthly instalments stepped in accordance with the size of the installation and the period of the year, plus meter rent of 6d per month for each meter; (2) at the beginning of the financial, year each consumer will receive per registered post a booklet containing his twelve monthly bills for his instalments. Tha> booklet will contain discount coupons, the effect of which will be as follows:—(a) If the whole 12 coupons are paid on or before 30th April, 6 per cent, discount will*be allowed; (b) if the first six are paid on or before 30th April, 5 per cent, discount will be allowed; (c) if the second six are paid on or before 30th October, 5 per cent discount will be allowed, (d) The electricity consumed will be measured .by meter, but the consumer will not be called upon to pay an electricity bill until the value of the electricity consumed is in excess of his 'yearly minimum.' Note: Consumers using less than the guarantee need not get an electricity bill at all. It will be readily seen that this system, if it is feasible, avoids the necessity for the regular two-monthly reading of meters; that at the most two meter men with the assistance of the faults men can handle the new system of occasional reading; that this will mean a minimum saving of £1000 per annum to the board in wages alone. "The only important disadvantage of the system as I see it," said the chairman, "is that it will lead the consumer to complain that he is not receiving regular figures of has meter readings, but the consumer cannot have all this information without cptft to the board, and, incidentally, to himself. He will therefore surely see the necessity for co-operating with the board in any proposal to cut down running costs." v

One delegate objected to all penalty dates being made to fall on the one day. Penalty day was invariably pay day, and the rush on that occasion would be too heavy to handle. ■

The chairman countered the' objection by pointing cat that all banks could be made receiving agents for the boards, and consumers could thus pay direct into the bank. The speaker 'added .that one secretary had condemned the proposed scheme without apology. That secretary had stated that it would take the average "cocky" six months at the Agricultural College, be the same in the North Island or the South Island, in order to understand the various instalment rates. (Laughter.) However, the Southland Board intended to try out his proposals, and he hoped to be able to report favourably on the working at next year's conference.