POWER BOARDS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1933, Page 13

POWER BOARDS

REQUESTS TO MINISTER INQUIRY PROMISED ; , Sympathetic consideration to requests for legislation and Departmental action made by a deputation fromEjthe Power Boards and Electric Supply Authorities' Association >vas promised by .the Minister of Public Works (the -Hon. J. Bitchener) yesterday afternoon. The deputation brought before the Minister eighteen requests, and he. promised to examine them closely, although he could not give a definite promise of legislation this session. He gave an undertaking to consult with his Departmental officers on the various subjects and see if something could not be done to help the power boards. Other matters, which were beyond the powers of his officers, ' would be referred to Cabinet. The president of the association (Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P.) said- that through delays on the.part of the Government it had been a good many years since legislation putting the desires of the association into effect had been enacted. The association -was now in the position that if something wcre^not.done in the way of legislation, it would have to considor the question as to- whether It was worth while carrying 'on.' ■ The principal requests made by the deputation were: Authority to establish renewal and- repair funds; authority tt) establish superannuation funds; a change in the Act to givo the right to a ratepayer in a non-reticulated district to appear before a magistrate and,show reason why1 he should be exempted from rates; the removal of the' electrical branch from the Public Works Department , and its establishment under the control of commissioners; the adjusting, of accounts between the Public Works Department and the boards to compensate the boards for the losses caused by daylight saving; a reduction in bulk charges; the vesting of the right to supply current in one authority where urban and rural areas adjoin; the establishment of a flat rate of charges throughout the Dominion; the settingup of an electrical appliances approval authority; andscomplete exemption of wire from the sales tax.