ELECTRIC POWER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 49, 27 February 1945, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER

DOMINION SUPPLY

ALMOST COMPLETE COVER

The facts that 97 per cent, of New Zealand's population lived in electricity supply areas, and that a scheme had been formulated to place facilities at the disposal of the other 3 per cent., were given in evidence before the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government today by the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities' Association. Charges had been progressively reduced, it was said, to make the use of electricity open to all.

The president of the association, Mr. J. A. Nash, said the present shortage of electric power in New Zealand was because the Government had not been able to obtain the necessary machinery owing to the war. The amount invested in the industry was no less than £44,000,000— £23,000,000 with the supply authorities and more than £21,000,000 with the Government.

"We claim that we are a semi-Gov-ernment , association or organisation carrying on work for the Government." said Mr. Nash, "and although the question of nationalisation sometimes will come up I can say that the Government has always spoken very highly of the work we are doing and the way we co-operate with it.- Further, the Minister (Mr. Semple), who has always been most helpful to us stated some time ago that there was no question of nationalisation so far as electric supply was concerned." Their relations, with the Minister and the Public Works Department were of the most cordial nature, continued Mr. Nash, and committees were set up from time to time to confer with the Department.

_ In the short period that had elapsed since the setting up of power boards by the Government the boards had extended- the electric lines so rapidly that 97 per cent, of the people were now enjoying the benefits of electricity Recently, together with the Department, the association formulated a scheme, which was thought had already been approved by the Minister, j to provide a stated sum each year. When that proposal was completed—it was hoped within the next month or two—the boards would then be able to push on with the work of providing electricity to the remaining 3 per cent. When that was done they could say they had accomplished a' great thing in New Zealand. CHARGES FOR POWER. Reductions in charges to consumers had been effected from year to year, making it possible for everyone to use it where available. Today it would ■be found that the charges in New Zealand were comparable with charges elsewhere in the world.

To Mr. W. H. Gillespie (Hurunui), Mr. Nash said there had been occasions when power boards had had to strike a small rate. Referring to the relative rates of charges for electricity in town and country, he said the association was trying to bring all rates down to city level, and was accomplishing that fast.

In reply to Mr. C. R. Petrie (Otahuhu), Mr. A. Buckingham, who also represented the association, said the 97 per cent, mentioned by Mr. Nash meant that 97 per cent, of New Zealanders were in electricity supply areas.

The association, in its written evidence, said it recognised that there might be instances in which a measure of amalgamation or alteration of existing power board districts might be advantageous. The Electric Power Boards' Act already contained machinery for amalgamation or alteration of districts, and the association had quite recently requested some small amendments in the particular sections in the Act to permit of their purpose being realised more simply; but on that point the Act was not quite wide enough in scope, and the association would support the enactment of the Local Governmant (Amalgamation Schemes) Bill of 1937, with some amendment to those sections dealing with the constitution of a Commission.

, It was suggested that it would be an improvement if the Bill simply provided for the setting-up of a commission, and if 'a supporting schedule were added to specify the type of personnel for different classes of local bodies.