PAYMENT FOR ELECTRICITY

Northern Advocate, 18 August 1933, Page 9

PAYMENT FOR ELECTRICITY

MINISTER ADAMANT. SUPPLY IN JEOPARDY. POSER FOR POWER BOARD. t especial to “iNomwiu Advocate. GISBORNE, This Day. The Wairoa Power Board is threatened with something worse than mere receivership, for the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. Biteheiler, wrote to the last meeting of the board intimating that unless the account for power supplied last quarter was paid in full and the board agreed to the various proposals previously outlined, including the striking of a rate, no power will be supplied aftei the end of the present, month. This ultimatum was received with consternation, the chairman, Mr E. H. Glendinning, remarking that under present conditions it was impossible to carry on. In the first place they wore paying from £8 10/ to £lO for current, whereas in cities the rate was only £5 10/. Another factor was that the expected revenue of £3OOO to £IOOO per annum from the Waikokopu extension, on which a considerable sum r.ad been expended, had not been forthcoming, owing to the Government’s suspension of work on the railway.

Mr H. E. Harker said that they would not risk the responsibility of having the light cut off at such places as the hospital, not to mention other institutions. During discussion of the request that a rate should be struck, reference was made to the difficulty of collecting existing rates, the opinion being expressed that such action might only aggravate the situation. Mr W. Tate: “And even if we do strike a rate,- as the Minister asks, the Crown would refuse to pay rates on Crown lands. ” After further discussion consideration of the matter was deferred until Monday next.