The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED DAILY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1927. THE POWER BOARD AS TRADER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10456, 10 December 1927, Page 8

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED DAILY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1927. THE POWER BOARD AS TRADER

The discussion on local body trading at the Chamber of Commerce meeting was certainly most interestng, but the result must have disappointed the prime mover, it was evidently hoped by Mr. Sinclair that the Chamber would pass a resolution protesting to the- government against the principle of allowing public bodies such as power boards to engage in trading in competition with private enterprise. This, however, the Chamber would not do, but, instead, extended its support to a much more modified proposal which laid it down that, in its opinion, local body trading should not bo permitted unless it could be cleaTly and definitely shown “That private persons or companies are unable to give the public efficient service at a reasonable price./’ We eaunot see that any appreciable result will accrue from the discussion. The quarrel is really one between the electrical traders in this town and the Power Board and, of course, should hi' settled between themselves. Let us suppose that the original resolution had been passed, it will be agreed that the government could not have intervened, seeing that the local power board is not exceeding its statutory powers. As far as the resolution that was carried is concerned, it cannot possibly prove any more helpful in connection with solving the trouble that has arisen. 'The resolution does not state who should settle the point as to whether private traders are or are not able to give the public elficient service at a reasonable cost. If the resolution means that the onus should be thrown on the government we are afraid that tho government would not care about the task. As a matter of fact, a power board, for instance, would claim the right to adjudicate on this important matter from the point of view of its own welfare. It’ is plain, that the government' is not keen about withdrawing the trading rights that it has extended to local bodies. .On its own part, as witness its efforts to kill motor transportation in competition with the Railways ' Department, it is interfering, nowtidays, more and more in business that was originally in the hands ut private enterprise. The quarrel between the electrical traders and the local power board is, it cannot be gaisaid, one for further mutual consideration. Air. Ball had really no authority for the statement that the Rower Board ratepayers arc behind the Board, for the Board has never asked for any mandate on the question. What Mr. Sinclair and his colleagues must not overlook is this: That a tremendous responsibility rests on the Board tq, see to it that the “load” that it has- contracted to take is, built up as speedily as possible. AVhether the local electrical traders could, or could not, have done more to assist the Board was not as thoroughly discus sea as it might have been, It is significant, at any rate, that Mr. Ball took the liberty of committing the Board to the rtatement bat it would go on

trading, resolution or no resolution. The electron! traders should, in the

circumstances, again approach the Board if they are dissatisfied and, if the press be permitted to report the proceedings, the ratepayers will gain much more enlightenment in respect of this dispute than it at present can boast.