GREY POWER BOARD

Grey River Argus, 21 October 1943, Page 6

GREY POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. Mr. J. Mulcare presided over the monthly meeting of the Grey Electric Power Board last evening. Also present were: Messrs W. Fisher, W. E. Pring, J. B. Kent, J. Unwin, J. Smeaton, P. Blanchfield and W. Clayton; also the Secretary (Mr. W. S. McClymont), and the Engineer (Mr. Sinclair Trotter). The Secretary, Health Camp Committee, wrote asking the Board to use Health Stamps on its correspondence.

The Secretary said that the Board used a franking machine and its monthlv bill for postages averaged £3 to £4. When the committee last appealed the Board had donated £5 ss.—lt was decided to make a similar donation on the present occasion. The Finance Committee reported that accounts totalling £19,541 13s 8d (paid £9,299 0s lOd, to be paid £10,242 12s 10d> had been passed for payment. An application by W. Caldwell to be graded as a linesman had been granted on a division. Mr. Smeat'on said that he objected to the linesman’s application being taken in Finance Committee and was going to object to that distinction being made for one particular linesman and not for all. He moved that the report be adopted subject to the deletion of that particular clause. —This motion lapsed for want of a seconder and the report was adopted. The Secretary reported that the Wages Commissioner (Mr. Ritchie; had advised that he could do nothing with regard to the recommendation of the Board, the intention of which was to obtain wage increases for all members of the staff, under the law as it stood, and that the only way to adjust the matter would be for the Board to arrange with its employees an industrial agreement and for that agreement to be passed by the Arbitration Court, i Mr. Blanchfield asked if the Commissioner had power to grant increases in special circumstances. The Secretary said that he had such power only in the case of anomalies or added duties, adding that those were the only reasons laid down under the Stabilisation Regulations, where the Arbitration Court could grant an increase. Mr. Kent said that he thought the Union should be notified of the Commissioner’s decision and asked to take the necessary steps to complete an industrial agreement as suggested.— This suggestion was adopted. OVERDUE ACCOUNTS. Mr. Smeaton said that he had had numerous complaints about discounts lost, which he preferred to call fines. It was maintained that this system was being administered too severely. In the gas department when someone who usually paid had an account overdue, the penalty was not inflicted. He thought a little more consideration should be given to people in the habit of paying their accounts on time. It would mean a lot to these people. It was upl to the Board to show more sympathy to all those who used domestic lighting. Mr. Kent suggested that it would meet the case if. three days’ grace was given. He thought the secretary was empowered to allow the discount to good payers. The Secretary said that it was left entirely to, him. Replying to a question by Mr. Clayton, the Secretary said that the Board gained between £6OO and £7OO a year from discounts lost. Mr. Clayton said it was a lot of money out of the pockets of people who did not pay their accounts. Mr. Pring said that people got 14 days’ grace and they should not forget that. If another three <> a y s ' grace! was given it should allow backblocks people an ojiportunitv of paying. If it was a case of hardship a person could write a letter and have the case considered on its merits. Mr Smeaton said that he thought it would be sufficient if it were left to the Secretary to see that some consideration was given to people who usually paid their accounts. Mr. Blanchfield said that it would be better to extend the date than to have a sheaf of correspondence and more work in giving consideration to cases. If the Board was going to down its charges it should not over Toad the staff and give it more The Chairman said that he felt that the Board was a little too stringent. Mr McClymont said that when he came’ to the Board he found enough anomalies to “make the angels ween. Some people had been coming a day late and paying, while some a fortnight late were making: a fuss ana getting awav with it. In an effort to ease the position the Board had passed a law allowing money in payment

of accounts if the envelope had the right postmark, and later a box was put at the door in which accounts could be left ud till nine o’clock on the morning after the last discount day. He had gone to a lot of trouble to see various business men in the town and had succeceded in establishing with them the principle that since 14 days was the time allowed the line could be drawn at 14 days. People should be able to produce a better argument than forgetfulness, such as a sudden death in the family or illness for the full 14 days. Increasing the time in which payment had to be made was a long and tedious matter as a by-law had to be altered. To' his mind the present arrangement was just, and if anyone had produced a really sound argument no one could sav that he haracted harshly. Mr. McClymont added that there was a small class where twice the discount money would not compensate for the time and money spent in collecting the account. The Chairman said that there should not be special consideration for such persistent offenders The discussion lapsed without any motion being put.