Power Lines on Property But No Power

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 64, 17 March 1936, Page 6

Power Lines on Property But No Power

MR. SEMPLE DISCUSSES DILEMMA Per Press Association. OAAIARU, Last Night. During his short stay in Oamaru this afternoon Air. R. Semple, Alinister, of Public Woi;ks, received a deputation from the Waitaki Electric Power Board in reference to the difficulty experienced in giving electric power to the residents of Haka yalley. Air. AlcDiarmid (chairman of the board), in placing tho facts before the Alinister, said Hakataramca unfortunately was isolated in regard to the supply of electricity’. It was not in the Waitaki area but really iu tho South Canterbury Board’s area, but that board had found it impossible to meet the needs of residents whose community of interest lay with Oamaru. The Waitaki Board was anxious to give these residents electric supply’, but while the lines rau across those people’s properties they could not get the electric supply’. To do so would involvo tho board iu an expenditure of £2OOO, but the guarantees available would meet a liability of only £I4OO of the capital outlay. That sum was required for materials and £6OO was required for labour, board and transport. They appealed to the Alinister to meet them in their difficulty. If the Labour Department would undertake the work at a cost of £6OO it would solve their trouble.

Air. ttcmple, iu reply, said it seemed absurd that power should go past people’s properties aud they could not get it. He was not, however, Minister tor Unemployment but he would have a personal interview with Hon. H. T. Armstrong aud go into the matter with him. It was difficult to interfere with the various boards but Air. Armstrong was reorganising this department and he did not sco any difficulty in the way, and when Air. Armstrong knew the facts he knew he would consider the matter sympathetically. Air. Semple said he would do what he could to briug electric power into every’ home, especially as it helped the wife to overcome the labourious work. He hoped to see the day when power would be in every home of tho poor us well as the rich. Air. Semple was thanked for receiving tho-deputation, after which he resumed his journey to Dunedin.