SOUND, LONG-TERM POLICY ADVOCATED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 22 April 1941, Page 6

SOUND, LONG-TERM POLICY ADVOCATED

[To the Editor) Sir, —I am surprised at the apathy of the consumers of the Waimea Electric Power Board in that they have not supported you in the sentiments expressed in your recent leader on the policy of the board.

It would appear from a study of the actions of the board over the past two years that they have either been very wrongly advised or they as members have acted against the recommendations of their advisers.

When I installed a water heater I was informed that I would get a 22 hour service per day but this was later reduced to 18 hours and now to 12 hours. Despite this reduction in service we are paying the same as we did at first. If one complains at the lack of hot water we are told to install a larger element with a corresponding increase in cost. Many of these hot water cylinders have attached to them a smaller cistern for boiling water, and under the restricted hours this cistern is seldom if ever boiling at the time required—the Power Board see to that —and consequently it is necessary to heat all water with an immersion heater necessitating further consumption of electricity. Therefore, summing up the position as far as water heaters are concerned we have an 80 per cent, increase in price owing to the.shortened hours—and I would like to know whether this has been approved by the Price Tribunal—and an increase in the ordinary monthly account on account of the fact that all boiling water has to be separately heated.

The Power Board has said a lot about the increased cost of production of electricity owing to the increased cost of fuel but surely, sir, with the reduction in consumption owing to the high cost of electricity it would be more economic to reduce the hours of operation of the Stoke plant than to try and increase consumption.

The board’s suggestion that they conduct an advertising campaign or employ a canvasser to increase consumption appears to me to show little consideration for the proper application of the funds of the board as such a scheme is doomed to failure. The only method of increasing the revenue of the board is by reducing the cost to the consumer and allowing the present '’—'sumers to utilise the large excess of current the board now has.

It would appear the whole trouble with the board ic that it is over capitalised and unless a sound, longterm policy is adopted the will only be repetition of the present muddle. An election is about to take place and it is hoped that a board will be returned' that will do this.—l am. etc.. CONSUMER. Motueka, 21st April.