ELECTRIC POWER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 145, 16 December 1933, Page 11

ELECTRIC POWER

PALMERSTON NORTH SUPPLY

PETITIONS TO PARLIAMENT

As a matter of policy was involved, no recommendation was made by the M to Z Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday on the report of the petition of F..W. Pullyn and 3194 others, of Palmcrston North, asking that legislation be enacted to provide that none of the powers conferred by tho Electric Power Boards Act, 1926, and its amendments be exercised to discriminate between the portions of a district constituted under the Act, except for the purpose of providing for an unforeseen deficiency in revenue. A similar report was made by the A to L Committeo on the petition of G. Buckman and 708 others, praying for legislation to bring Palmerston North in as consumers upon tho samo footing as other localities within tho Manawatu-Oroua Power Board area. Mr. J. A. Nash (Government, Palmerston North), speaking to the report of the M to Z Committeo, said that the petition involved a matter of great importance to Palmerston North. The power board had levied a rate over its own area, including Palmerston North, for £3400, of -which the city's quota was £.900, which it had no objection to paying. The board, however, had levied a further special rate on the city amounting to £3300, and had offered^a reduction of £.2000 to farmers usingmilking machines. No one would'object to a proposal to help the farmers. Although he was a member of the board, he had no objection to the reduction, and he would support it, but not at the expense of tho consumers of Palmerston North. Tho board was asking that the city of Palmerston North,, should pay £4000 to enable the board to supply cheap power to farmers who were supplying the dairy company of which the chairman of the board was the chairman. That was manifestly unfair. The city was naturally .resisting the board, and the question would be taken before the Courts very soon. "We are resisting the special rate," said Mr. Nash, "and every effort will be made to prevent it being, imposed." PALMERSTON'S PROFIT. Mr. J. Linklater (Government, Manawatu) said that Palmerston North had consistently refused to join' up with tho Manawatu-Oroua Power Board in its operations. The city reticulated its own area, and board had to reticulate the whole of the outside country. The upkeep and special work in connection with laying Special power lines in the country was very costly. He did not think it was ever intended by those who set up the power bdards of New Zealand that towns in the centre of a country district should stand apart from the country district. Palmerston North made an average profit of £15,000 out of the hydro-electric undertsking. The outside country had 600 miles of lino, and had to pay all those additional charges, while Palmerston North coolly took £15,000 of profit while the outer area'was run at a loss. The Chairman of the Committee (Mr. F. Lye) said that the chief electrical engineer had appeared before the Committeo and had stated that as he was responsible for the administration of the Power Boards Act he could not recommend the prayer of the petitioners. The Committee had been informed by the Mayor of Palmerston North that an application for an injunction was to be made to the Supreme Court in a day or two. Apart from the question of Government policy it appeared that the matter was sub judice, and he thought that the Committee's recommendation was the proper one. The report was adopted.