POWER CURRENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 282, 13 November 1929, Page 4

POWER CURRENT

THE MINIMUM CHARGE

MOTOR OWNERS' PROTEST.

DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON HASTINGS COUNCIL.

The majority of the electric power current users in Hastings are making active protest against the Hastings Borough Council’s minimum charge of 3/- per month per horse-power, or fraction thereof, for motors installed on business premises. These motor owners base their objections on the fact that they are not able to use the amount of current per month represented by the minimum charge of 3/- per horse-power. It was pointed out that one user of a 25 h.p. motor had to pay £7 10/- for two months under the Council’s miniimum charge, whereas his actual consumption for these two months amounted to only 4/-. Another firm, with a 12 h.p. motor, was charged £3 12/- for two months, whilst the actual consumption for that period totalled only £2 12/6. Still another user, with a 4j h.p. motor, which is classed at 5 h.p., was charged 30/-, although he used only 13/6 worth of current, whilst a man in a small way, with a 2) h.p. motor (classed as 3 h.p.) was obliged to pay 18/-, whereas his consumption for the period reached the sum of only a few shillings. The user of a 30 h.p. plant was charged £9, although, according to the register, it should have been £4 17/6, and there are many others who claim that they ate adversely affected.

It was explained that cooking current was charged at per unit, and the current for power at 3d per unit, but if the consumption exceeded 500 units, the price of the power current was reduced to lid . This was undoubtedly cheap, but it would seem that this advantage was given to the users of electric lighting current and to the users of power current who are in a large way of business, at the expense of the small users of power, who have to make up the difference.

A deputation is to wait on the Hastings Borough Council next Thursday night to lay their case before that body.