BRITAIN LAGGING IN POWER RACE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3247, 18 January 1926, Page 9

BRITAIN LAGGING IN POWER RACE

Less Than One-Fourth Canada’s Consumption BALDWIN PROPOSES PRACTICAL BOARD [Aust. and N.Z, Cable [By Electric Cable—Copyright.| (Received Sunday, 7 p.m.) LONDON, January 15. Government proposals to promote l| great national electric scheme In ord«T to afford a cheaper supply of current, were outlined by Mr. Baldwin *S Birmingham. The Premier pointed out that Britain would bo serloualf handicapped industrially If she conetinned to lag behind other nations ip the consumption of electrical energft Britain used only two hundred units per head of her population, compared with nine hundred In Canada and ova?; , five hundred In th e United States. H* expressed the opinion that the latter figure should be reached here In flfteon years henco by cheapening eleo«, triolty through large-scale production and distribution. Mr. Baldwin declared; the present system of generation wa* too parochial, although efficient. The Government proponed to establish i‘ Board managed by practical men,' similar to the Port of London author* ity, to control the whole supply 0* electricity throughout Britain. Th* Board would 00-ordlnate existing sta* Hons, build new ones, raise Its own capital and work on purely commercial lines. The Surplus would go towards reducing the cost of the plant when interest on the sinking fund wm paid off. The Government would ini* j tlate a scheme with a guarantee. If was not considered a. subsidy would M necessary.