Partners With Government

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 210, 23 August 1926, Page 7

Partners With Government

ELECTRIC POWER BOARDS. THE MINISTER’S APPRECIATION During the course oi his Public Works Statement to Parliament last Friday, the Munster of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams said that the various Power Boards buying power in bulk from the Department had continued energetically to carry out their various genomes ot reticulation and had very materially assisted the Department in its general aim of milking an adequate power-supply available to everybody within reasonably economic range of its lines. The Department recognises that these electric-supply authorities are really partners with the Government in its general scheme ot making power available generally throughout the country, and appreciates the cooperation that is Being exercised, and tne stimulus that is being given to the load oil the Government powerstations by the energetic policy of load development that is being carried out by most oi the boards.

“I regret,” says Mr. Williams, “that considerable publicity was given during the year to statements, made by persons of consequence in the financial world, criticising the Government’s policy in allowing Power Boards to borrow so extensively in connection with electric works, the borrowing being classed in many cases as reckless and likely to become a serious burden on the ratepayers, to say nothing of prejudicing the country’s credit in other directions. The suggestion was made that all proposals for loans lor electric purposes should bo scrutinised and revised.

STATEMENTS TOO SWEEPING. "These statements might give the impression that the Government was failing in its duty to the country, and mat its scheme of electric distribution was wrongly conceived. However, a consideration of the true facts of the case and knowledge of the vast amount ot good that has been done already, would, 1 think, have prevented such sweeping statements having been made, it is, unfortunately, true that one or two of the Power Boards have not been as successful as others or as they might have been, but even these are fulfilling a useful purpose and supplying the general public with power at prices which compare favourably with those charged elsewhere. The increase in the use of electricity in the last few years has been phenomenal, and it would have been nothing short of miraculous if no mistakes had been made in the early days. That so few mistakes have been made must surely be taken as an indication of the sound commonsense which has ,in the main, governed this question. Such defects as have been made manifest are being rectified from time to time. POWER BOARD FINANCE. The whole question of Power Board linance and the prospect of success is now carefully reviewed by the Government, and only such boards are allowed to proceed as are considered to have reasonable prospect of success and such as are unsigned and constructed to fall into the general scheme of development decided upon by the Government. The annual conferences of electricsupply authorities and of their clerical and technical staffs are doing much .to clear up many of the difficulties that have existed in the past, and must do much good lor the business generally. They are tending to produce more uniformity in the operation, and undoubtedly the interchange of ideas will do much to strengthen the weaker boards. Such conferences are also welcomed by the Government, whose officers have much to gain by a frank discussion of the difficulties that may have arisen in dealing with the many problems that arise between Government as supplier and supply authorities as customers throughout the year.

RULES AND REGULATIONS. With the enormous increase that has taken place during recent years a revision of the rules and regulations governing installation and supply is urgently needed. Though the administration of the regulations is the function of the Government, through the Public Works Department, there is no doubt but that other sections connected with the electrical industry are vitally interested. With this fact in view 1 have set uo an honorary advisory committee, with the chief electrical engineer of the Department as chairman, to go through all rules, and get out a”eomplete revision of rules relating to overhead lines and installations on consumers’ premises. This committee is composed of two representatives from the Public Works Department, two from the electric-supply authorities, and one each from the Post and Telegraph and Railway Departments, Electrical Federation, Fire Underwriters’ Association and the Electrical Workers’ Union. The committee has met regularly throughout the year, and hope s to issue the new regulations at. an early date.