POWER BOARD’S FIRST CHAIRMAN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

POWER BOARD’S FIRST CHAIRMAN.

If the title “Father of Electricity,” had to be bestowed at Greymouth, there could be only one candidate for the honour — the late Mr. Hugh Francis Doogan. Over ten years ago, Mr. Doogan interested himself keenly in the matter of electricity, and, as a member of the Greymouth Borough Council, frequently pointed out the need of the town and district for electric light and power. His efforts awakened interest in the subject, and, eventually, led to the formation of the Grey Power Board, of which he was appointed the first Chairman, In an introduction to a pamphlet issued by the Board, in 1925, when the Dobson steam plant was in operation, Mr. Doogan wrote: “The members ’ of the Board, and the people of the district, have my warmest congratulations upon the consummation of that for which I have fervently hoped and energetically striven, and which will, I believe, open up commercially and socially an era of progress and prosperity, the results of which will be felt long after we are dead and gone.” Mr. Doogan died on June 3, 1930.