Power Board Policy

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 96, 6 April 1934, Page 6

Power Board Policy

(To the Editor). Sir, —The interviews published in yesterday’s issue convey the impression that members of the Power Board are not sufficiently progressive and that guarantees required in connection with the reticulation of certain districts are a stumbling block to development. The present board is anxious to extend operations on sound lines, in order to reduce charges and enable consumers to obtain greater advantages by the use of additional electrical equipment. Every new project is carefully examined by the board with regard to present requirements and the possibility of further extension at a later date.

The application from Maraekakaho Valley was not turned down but it was decided to recommend that a meeting be held at the Valley, with officers of the board in attendance in order that a plan might be arranged to the satisfaction of all concerned. With regard to the comment on an application from Tangoio, I wi 5 h to state that no application has been made but the board instructed its engineer to furnish an estimate of the cost to supply the district, together with the number of possible consumers, in order to determine the advisability of proceeding further with the matter.

With reference to the subject of guarantees, the Power Board only requires an undertaking to purchase a reasonable quantity of current per year for five years, before committing itself to the necessary capital outlay. Other power boards have spent large amounts in reticulating sparsely populated areas without due consideration of the financial aspect, with the result that heavy losses have been made, necessitating the levy of special rates. In one case a borough had to pay an extra £3BOO a year as its share of the loss resulting from the progressive but reckless policy of the power board controlling the area.—-I am, etc., S. ASHCROFT. Hastings, April 6. 1934.