Power Supply Policy

Grey River Argus, 10 May 1948, Page 8

Power Supply Policy

In view of the amount of publicity lately regarding the future power position of the Buller district, perhaps it would be opportune to examine the facts, without heat and try to arrive at a reasonable conclusion, said Cr. McDonald. The first point was that all talk of what action the Borough Council would take over the sale of its electrical assets to the Power Borad was based on pure supposition as the council nad not stated that it will not sell to the board. The council will at its meeting on Wednesday next, fix a date for a meeting with the Power Board before the end of May. Much harm could be done by rash statements not backed by facts. The need for haste could be discounted somewhat when it was realised that the tenders for removal of the Huntley plant to Buller had not yet been finalised and that such removal and re-erection would take at least 12 months, according to the Mines Department. The State Hydro-electric Depart-, merit had also advised that all material for the erection of transmission lines was on . order and. that stees pylons fop this line would not be available before 1950, so no undue delay was being occasioned in this respect. It was also often forgotten that the council has. supplied power to the district for 24 years, and the mining' companies' had provided current to country areas for a longer period. It would be wiser, at this stage, to allow negotiations to proceed without any further attempt to introduce personalities or town v. country politics into this matter, he said. Largely, it was apparent to all people that the town and country are one when the future prosperity of the district was considered.