ELECTRIC POWER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 25 July 1928, Page 11

ELECTRIC POWER.

A GREAT ADVANCE.

PRIMES MINISTER, QUOTES

STATISTICS,

(By Telegraph—Press Association.;

WELLINGTON, July 25. The sixth conference of power boards was opened to-day by tlhe Rit. Hon. J. G. Coates, Mr.. J. A. Nash M.P., presiding. Air. Coates commended the gathering on the small agenda paper, which -seemed to (foreshadow lack of troublesome problems There had always been close co-operation between the, supply authorities and the departments of the State. He quoted statistics, showing the tremendous growth of power production. The capital invested in supply authorities' and generating stations had •increased from £1,500,000 in 1918 to £18,900,000 in 1927, the number of consumers, from l 54,900 to 228,345. The revenue in 1927 was approximately three million. The Government’s policy was to undertake the supply of electricity to all who would guarantee to take power. The development of power in New Zealand, said Mr. Coates, read like a romance and w,as brightening the lives of people throughout the Dominion. The conference earned a remit, asking that the provision for the establishment of the depreciation fund should be modified so as oo be less crippling to. the financiee of youngei boards. t The conference earned a remit- urgthe Government to fix a uniform rate to be charged boards irrespective of. quantity, also to issue a definite pronouncement that all profits of . the Government from eleorioal undertaking will be used first of all in placing ail such undertakings on a sound hnanciaJ basis and secondly, in reduction of charges 'for power to the distribution authorities.