ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32492, 16 October 1944, Page 3

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

EXTENSIONS TO TE MATA NOT POSSIBLE: AT PRESENT

The extension of electricity to Te Mata, Thames Coast, was recently considered by the Thames Valley Electric Power Board, which forwarded to the meeting of the Thames County Council yesterday a letter forwarded to Mr J. Thorn, M.P., about the matter.

Mr A. A. McCollum, County representative on the board, has obtained an undertaking from the board that supply will be given in order of merit with existing applications as soon as manpower and power restrictions are eased.

The letter, by the Power Board to Mr Thorn, who made representations about the matter on behalf of the council, was as follows:—

“At present the board cannot consider reticulating this territory, as the manpower position is most acute with us. Settlers in. the dairying industry are mwaiting supply to increase production, but, as already mentioned, the manpower position is making, it very difficult to give these settlers supply, and they are only done now in order of merit. However, as soon as conditions improve, allowing us 1.0 carry further reticulation, such as Te Mata, we will be only too pleased to go on with same.” “It seems a pity that the extension cannot be done now,” said Or. E. J. McLoughlin. “It is only a short stretch of road.”

It was apparently a matter of material, said the chairman, Or. D. Courtney.

The Power Board also advised, concorning the extension of the supply from Waihi to Tairua, that the board had made a preliminary survey of this territory from Tapu through to Waihi. and at that time supply was not warranted. e

However, the board would be pleased to consider any request for consideration of supply by the Minister of Rehabilitation and would assist wherever possible.