LIGHTING GREYMOUTH

Grey River Argus, 26 June 1925, Page 5

LIGHTING GREYMOUTH

WHICH BODY? 1 F Borough or Power Board COUNCIL DECIDES ON LATTER. “That, all matters relating to the nujiply and distribution of electricity within the, Borough of Greyniouth be carried out by the Grey Electric Power Board. ’’ The above was a motion that was moved by Cr Doogan at the Borough Council meeting last night, at which Council meeting last night .and which was carried after it had evoked considera b 1 e discussio 11. Speaking to the motion, Cr Doogan said the Power Board was anxious to get on with the work, and should know where it stood with respect to the Borough of Greymouth. He was of the opinion reticulation work should be done by the Power Board. The Board’s district was «not large enough to be split up. He was satisfied that the right thing to do was to allow the Power Board to carry out the work in addition to which the work of reticulation would cost a considerable sum of money. The right thing to do was to leave* the matter of distribution of power in the hands of the Board. The Board’s charge to the Borough would be £4 per 100 candle power lamp. There were over 100 lamps in the j Borough. The Town Clerk: And 24 in Blaketown. Continuing. Cr Doogan said that the charge would include the erection of poles, supply of fittings, and the keeping of them in repair. - Cr Kitchingliam endorsed the rc marks of the mover of the motion. The time when . electricity would be supplied was rapi’ily drawing near and it was high.t%ne the Council decided on a decisive action. He favoured the motion. If the Borough entered on a separate scheme of supplying electricity it would entail a vast quantity of duplication works, ami he did not think the Council was justified in going to that expense when the Power Board was quite capable of carrying them out. If the gas works were not the property of the Council he did not think there would be any discussion. At the present time the gas consumers wer c > paying £5OOO a year towards the rates, and the loss of revenue would | have to be made up. It was for this j reason that he was opposed to the Council having anythi’iig to do with ; the matter. Cr Greenslade moved an amendment that ‘‘This Council considers it is in the best interests of the Borough that more mature consideration should be given to this matter, and that the Power Board be approached and asked if it is willing and what concession it is p-repared to give, and that expert advice be obtained and supplied to the Council before ally definite decision is arrived at.” Speaking to the amendment, Cr Greenslade said that the Power Board had never even been approached regard ing the granting of a concession. The question was “was the distribution of electricity by the Borough worth while.’” It was the Council’s duty to the ratepayers to fi’iid this out. If it was a profitable business concern, it was the Council’s duty to find it out. Tin l Council had given a big concession to the Power Board, to the extent of .£IS,(K)(i —the initial cost of the gas works. By doing so the Council had allowed another concern to compete against the Council on liberal terms. The price of gas had been kept up to alleviate the rates. If it were on a mor e favourable, basis, it would .more than compete with electricity. It had been said that the question should be decided that night. Why? The Power Board was not being held back. Duplication had been me»ntioned. but there would have to bo a dual staff in any case, and the Council had the administration staff already a»nd with slight addition the work could be carried on well, and would effect a great saving in revenue. The Power Board would not keep additional men if it did not have the work to do. If 33 1-3 percent was lost in respect of t he gas . works, the Council would have to call up extra rates, and there was no wish to do that. Cr Harker, in seconding the amendment, said the question was not one that could be settled in five or ten minutes. He moved ten months ago that the matter be given consideration, and a sub-committee was appointed, but he had seen nothing of a report. The revenue from the gas works ,£5OOO, should not be taken from the ratepayers. The Council would lose cuethird of it, whichever way things went. He did not hink the Council was in the position at present to say what was ■ rfgh t. Cr Williams wanted to know when the cost of the supply would be reconsidered with a view to a reduction. The Alayor thought the price was for all time. Continuing, Cr Williams said he thought Greymouth and district was too small to duplicate the administrative staff. The district could not afford to make two bites at a cherry. Cr Kent did uot think the Council ■ ■ could supply electricity cheaper than the Power Board could. No Municipal enterprise should strive for profits. Better service should be their aim, in addition to which they should be model employers. lie was not optimistic enough to think that, when electricity came, and the Council cheapened the price of gas, that the gas works would be fully employed. The Alayor supported the motion. The Council were practically shareholders in the Power Board, and as such would participate in any profit. If there were any loss, it would be shared with other constituent bodies. But they did not anticipate a loss. The comparisons with Lyttelton and other i Boroughs that purchased from the Go. I vernment were odious, as Greymouth I would be buying from a constituent body. The Borough was represented on the Bower Board, and he thought the time was ripe when the Board should be assisted in every way. He had spoken to a number of public men that day. and they were of the same opinion as himself. At this stage Cr Greenslade asked if he had a right to reply to the amendment . The Alayor: Yes. You don’t mind, Cr Doogan? (’r Doogan: IL' has no right to. but I don’t mind. lie lias already spoken. Cr Greenslade: I have not replied. 1 thought we were discussing the matter to throw light upon the subject. 1 thought it was a time to waive aside the question of right. Cr Doogan: Go ahead then. I don’t I mind. I Cr Greenslade said it was not de- | sirous on the part of the Borough to | sell power cheaper. They would be • selling it at the same, price as the I Power Board, but a concession was due from the Power Board by virtue

of the legislation allowing that body to be a competitor with a concern, and which was going to affect the ratepayers generally. The Board had alreadv made arrangements to reticulate the town. The Council had no stable facts as to what it was going to cost the Borough, and the matter should be .gone into thoroughly. When that was done the Council could decide what was in the best interests of the people of Greyniouth. Cr Doogan, in reply, said that no argument had been raised that night that was not raised four or five years ago. Boiled down, it amounted to loss of revenue from the gasworks. It meant that the people of Greymouth had been paying £5OOO a year into the rates, camouflaged under the heading of gas. Replying to Cr Greenslade’s question: “Why hurry?” Cr Doogan said that nearly a year ago a committee was set up to go into the matter, and nothing had been done. That question, to his mind, was a mistake. 'Poo much thought was devoted to profit from the gas works'. To his mind there was too much profit. Such commodities should be for the benefit bf the public, allowing for a fair margin after the body that was running them was sufficicmtlv recouped. If the Coun_ ' cil were wisp it would allow fhe Power i Board to carry out the distribution of ] electricity. On a division being taken the amendment was lost, Crs Greenslade. Harker and Williams voting for it. The motion, which was seconded by Cr Kitchingham, was them put and carried.