TOO MANY BOARDS?

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 57, 5 September 1945, Page 4

TOO MANY BOARDS?

SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY

The need for the extension of electricity supply lines to backblock areas was stressed by Mr. E. P. Meachen (Government, Marlborough) in his Budget speech in the House of Representatives yesterday. Many of the power boards had canvassed country districts to ascertain the number of consumers likely to be • connected up, he said. In many instances the reports were unsatisfactory, the income anticipated being insufficient to meet the cost of reticulation. He understood the Minister of Works (Mr. Scmple) had prepared a scheme under which a subsidy would be paid by the Government to meet the deficiency. Electricity had been made available to the people by the expenditure of public money and it was necessary that something should,, be done for those areas that could not afford to pay for the reticulation. Mr. Meachen said he held the view that there were far too many power boards. He thought they could be abolished and the distribution carried out by the hydro-electric department. Mr. R. M. Algie (National, Remuera): More centralisation? Mr. Meachen said there appeared, for instance, to be too many boards in the Taranaki district. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford): They are most valuable these days. Mr. Meachen said one or two boards should be able to do the work just as well. ~ The whole position needed thorough investigation with a view to getting the best possible coverage.