ELECTRICITY AND SERVICE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 81, 17 March 1933, Page 4

ELECTRICITY AND SERVICE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Do we receive service from the borough electrical department in \uiue and attention/ Mr. Crosse, chairman of the Power Board, refuted most thoroughly the Mayor’s statement “that power costa less in the borough than the Power Board.” He showed that a 2 h.p. motor in the borough costs to run £2 3/9 per mouth. The Power Board charge in the country is £1 17/6. Further, the minimum rate in the country for power is 5/- per month. Compare this with an account 1 have seen in 'the borough where the power user, who had installed three small motors on the advice of our electrical department instead of one large one, paid for two months for 26 units used £3 16/6. 'The juice should only have cost him 6/6. In the country he would have paid the minimum of 10/-. The Power Board have installed 377 electric ranges against the borough'■ 132; 170 electric heaters against 40. A want of service somewherel I Compare the town charges for elee« | tricitv, gas, coal, wood, dirt, iucouvenij ence, etc., with the farmer a few miles out. The latter milks 4L cows, runs liii machines, separator, water pump for i dairy and house, electric stove, hot water service, baths, wash-ups and clothes wash, turns on tap any time day or night for boiling water —no coal, wood fuel, etc., no dirt, grease and no cutting firewood, etc., all for 15/- per week, when formerly bis benzine for milking machines only was more than this. Mr. Crosse, also on a digest of borough accounts, showed that power supply cost the borough .55 pence per unit whereas in 1926, generating their own electricity, it cost the borough .97 pence per unit. After inspecting accounts I ! am satisfied that at least 40 per < enk 1 could be saved in general upkeep, ! salaries, etc., if run on the same line* | as the Power Board does. Mr. Maddison at one time strenuously opposed dealing with the Power Board and he was strongly supported by the borough electrical department. I think you will find public opit o n pried him from that stand ami that tho credit given to him for roads and ntforestation by Mr. Duff |without lowing a rate) should be credited to tho electric account from which the money was taken for these roads and afforestation at the cost of the present consumers, posterity who will receive the benefit paving no share. —5 ours, etc., EGOTIST. Hastings, 16/3/33.