CONFERENCE OF SECRETARIES

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

CONFERENCE OF SECRETARIES

(iiy Telegraph.—Press Association.)

PALMEESTON N., This Day.

The Power Board Secretaries' Conference concluded yesterday afternoon. The election of officers resulted:—Executiye, Messrs. Campbell (Invercargill), chairman; Dash (Timaru), Brown (Wairarapa), M'Arthur (Te Awamutu), Speer (Auckland), Smith, (Wanganui), Eglinton (Palmerston North). '

The remits carried included one dealing with guarantees for the consumption ,of current. It was recommended that such a guarantee shall be a charge upon the land for the purpose of security. The conference also recommended the establishing of arrangements for combined buying by boards to secure the most advantageous scale of discounts. It was decided that the next conference be held in Wellington in February, 1928.

The chairman (Mr. C. Campbell), brought up. the possibility of securing simplicity in meter-reading and billing. He announced that his board was introducing a scheme which would considerably reduce the cost of reading, and which would also mean fewer bills for the consumer. It would also give the board a steady inflow of revenue, allow a discount system for advanced paymei-ts, and cut down the amount outstanding at the end of each financial year. He hoped to report favourably on its working at the next conference. The scheme would mean a minimum saving of £.1000 per annum in wages aUrae. &

In view of the general public opposition and the countryside being disfigured with advertisement hoardings the conference condemned the suggestioa that advertising be allowed on electrical poles. It approved the use of electrical road signs, especially for night use.