TRANSFER OF RIGHTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 3 September 1926, Page 5

TRANSFER OF RIGHTS

AUTHORITY TO SOUTH TARANAKI . , POWER BOARD.

CLAUSE IN LOCAL LEGISLATION BILL.

(By Telegraph.—Special to The Star.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. A clause in the Local Legislation Bill relates to the South Taranaid Power Board, which, any time after September 13, 1927, upon giving six month’s previous notice in writing of its intention, can require the Hawera Comity Electric Company to sell to the board the company’s undertaking upon terms defined by section 16 of the Hawera County Electric Act as if the board were named instead of the several local authorities therein mentioned as having jurisdiction over the area of supply. The board may purchase the undertaking of the company at any time before September. 13, 1927, if the company agrees to such a purchase.

The chairman of the Power Board (Mr.' L. A. Bone), who was interviewed by a Star reporter this morning, explained that the local authorities referred to in the communication were the Hawera County Council, Hawera Borough Council, the Waimate West County Council, the Normanby Town Board, and the Manaia Town Board, the local bodies of the district over which the Electric Light Company was licensed in 1902 to supply for a term of 25 years. The clause in the Wash-ing-up" Bill was the outcome of representations made on behalf of the Power Board, which was constituted last year and which is representative .of the whole district" It merely took the place of the action which would have been necessary for the grouping of the 'iocal authorities and the legal recognition of their representatives should the local bodies, in the absence of a constituted power hoard, have decided to exercise the powers conferred by the Hawera County Electric Act in regard to purchase of the assets of the undertaking of the company.