OPOTIKI NEWS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11956, 29 May 1933, Page 7

OPOTIKI NEWS

PAY of plenty rower HOARD

(Special to the Times.) OPOTIKI. . May 20. ’ Jr- mms decided ni the mooting nl' tho Rav of Plenty Power Board to approve of the engineer’s proposal to reduce the price of lighting by 1 penny por unit on lighting- units now charged at 10fl. Such a -rectnc. tion is estimated, to result in, a. saving of approximately 11 Go.', to consumers. „ A suggestion by hr ft. Maxwell that the number of hoard meetings lie reduced was not- approved. The board expressed appreciation of the services of Mr. J. T. Tahh, wlio lost his son I a I iht* last election. The Taiard resolved lo enrry on wiih Hie' loan conversion, according to 1 lie Local n-ovc-r.ninonr Loans Board’s requirements.. {(j his annua] report, the eh airman said that the past year had proved even, more difficult than the previous-'one. Condii ion? still rnnsod auxioiv and emphasised Lite necessiiv for care in administration. “Tho aecoums presented to you must he considered satisfactory.’ when everything is considered. There Jin's been a sio-ady grow ili of the hoard's .business and we have' been W able to nwei the inereaso-L demand 1 for power without further harrowing. This is crronrrjhening the position of the board and. with the advent of hotter economic conditions j in the 'Dominion, we may leoh forward to the dav when we may ma-

terially reduce- the cost of power to our’-'’■consumers. We have during the year had considerable relief in onr finance from the action ol the Govc rumen I in reducing interest eha>"es. Wo shall for! tho benefit of tty,, more fully in the coming year, and you will noli 1 .that ii is sugges-ted*.'''i-n the estimates prepared' -by our engineer-manager that it is , eonRiclorcdrppossililo lo give a cert ain reduction of charges fur the coming vear. Wo have, during the year, in eonjtine.tion --with--other beards.- approached the Government seeking reduction in rlie cost or power supplied; hut have failed to secure relief in r hiY respoei. the Government evidently thinking that what it has done in .reducing interest charges is all it is able to do at present, due utmost economy has been exercised hy iho manager and staff and comparative figures as compared to other power hoards hoar witness to their unwearying efforts. fit conclusion, J would thank-members of the hoard for their loyal co-operation, and all j* members’of, ■ the .'.-staff, from the manager downward* for their en-rmst. care of thh interests of Idle- hoard. I trust that v.y- have now entered upon a year which will usher in a new era of prosperity for the hoard and for everyone of those .whom wy

supply with power.” Tlio engineer submitted estimates

for flip current year. The receipts were [ml- *loivii .it £38,721, solo oi ' floctrieily £38,021 ni»d sundry sales £7OO, whilst tlie working hire was estimated at £113,;n0 Hh. The above does nob allow for dopreeiation or capital expenditure oui of revenue. Allowing £2OOO for each of these itonig l.hp balance loft is £J h’6 30s. Me recommended. fo r Hie consideration of the hoard a reduction of ]d per unit on all lighting units now charged at IGd. Such a reduction would benefit all classes of con-

sumers. ••• Tliig vemmfnendal ion u ’ :l ? mad* on the assumption that permission would be obtained to extend Gio maturity dales on Ihe loans. 1. such extension .were not granted the f; hi mated nett profit of ,C11 ; >0 would he reduced by £1231 -and n would not be possible lo give the. abote < f election withoul incurring a loss ’ n 1 the year’s working. The estimated r expenditure for further construction for in miles of U,OOO-volt lines and the. necessary l.t. 1 ities, so- vices, <U . wa R £4093. To tin's must he added the sum of CSm for condensers. The rota! figure will be reduced to some extent by the cost of materials available from existing stocks.

AN U NCOAITROMISTNG COMPLAINT . Tho-following letter was read at the Meeting, of the, above Board .on Friday i-~! “Enclosed please find cheque for electrical installation. The service that we' are getting from-the power is simpljelrottotr .; this ‘past,, iwhiKj iliroo iirn.es sluclc tip P° s week. If: things don’t (improve m' the next quarter, I for one will be installing an engine and the power will ho discarded after that, as I consider that' we should hnvo muc

'bettor service than wo are getting lor the hell ol a price we have Lo pay for lit." '

Tho chairman said that it was always the policy of I lie board to give service. The manager (Mr Bicker) explained that, as soon as a complaint was received, it, ivas attended to 'lmmediately, and tliiat Air hs trouble was experienced by other users on Hie line. The trouble, may have been due to a shut down or, if caught hy a storm, at two ends of the lino b 0 miles apart it was impossible to have the men at, both ends of the wire at once. The complaint nvas left to the- manager io deal with. HOWLING Tho annual meeting of tbp Opotikf Bowling Club was well attended, the retiring president, Air >V. .f. Scott, being in the chair. The annual report and balance-sheet were adopted. The subscription for the ensuing year was fixed at C2 10s, as last year’s amount was found to be too low. The election of officers resulted:— President, Mr G. ft. Moody; • vicepresident, Mr LI. Rowland ; green superintendent, Air C. Gordon; assistant superintendents, Messrs R. Chapman and Air Af. 0. Kidd ; auditor, Afr IT. G. Reeves-, secretary and treasurer, Afr C. H. Fleming ; committee, Messrs G. A. Hathaway. All. O. Kidd. b. .T. Short. WF. A . Baker' and \V ,T. Scott. The meeting unanimously decided to support the proposal to form a new centre, comprising the clubs eligKe to participate in the Francis Cup. - 'MOr.FXT G A r.F AT OPOTTF i

MINOR DAM AG K ’H!! ROUC ROUT' DISTRICT. (ftpeeial to the Times.) OPOTIKI. Ma y 27. A g:i!o of exceptional violence I -:-"' in Onoliki all vest (M-day and well into the night-r' ihe wind reaching ■ a velocity not fell lier -, i'-w .many years Large numbers «'u trees, were blown down in the disii-b-i- fences also suffering besides 'which score* °f i ops v. ere blown off haystacks. A. large lorry standing in Ginm-h si reel •v;iblown across ill • w-eel . pulling ■•n alongside a ear after humping again si. the mudguard. !• or! uiuMely mod of tin- maize crop ban been nirek'-d. what was Inni plucked being had 1 v I;nocki’d about. Very little ;’,-dl. hut the weather is now much colder. A large tree v.-as blown across The Maieeka -road anti ; traffic for an hour this mom•■it hut the road i now clear.