POWER FOR FRANKLIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18929, 29 January 1925, Page 7

POWER FOR FRANKLIN.

MEETINGS OF RATEPAYERS.

LOAN SCHEME SUPPORTED.

PUKEKOHE. Wednesday

The Fcankiin Power Board on Tuesday commenced a series of public meetings of 1 ratepayers to .discuss loan proposals. In the morning a meeting was held at Awhitu Central, when about 20 settlers were present. Later about the same number were, present at a Pollok meeting. In the afternoon th'-jre were abont. 30 t0.40 present at Waipipi, and in the evening about 50 tc- 60 attended a meeting at Wainku. Mr. J. Dean, chairman of the board, presided at several of the meetings, and ho was accompanied by the engineer, Mr. T. R. Overton, and members of tho board. Mr. J. Walters, chairman of the Waiuku Town Board, presided at the Waiuku meeting. Mr. Dean stated at the Waiuku meeting that the board was now asking the ratepayers for authority to borrow £200,000. The amount stated was considerably it ore than was estimated to be the cost of installation of the scheme, but tho board considered it wise to add £25,000 for contingencies and probable extensions. The amount proposed is expected to meet the board's requirements for the next 10 years. Mr. Dean explained the board's policy. A rate of 9-16ths of a penny in the pound would be struck, but it was not anticipated that it would ever be collected. The board was confident that its revenue from the sale of current would meet all charges. The board would advance monoy for installations. Its bankers had notified it that the money would be raised on the London market at per cent. An option had been secured over the Pukekohe borough plant, and the Wainku trading concern. These would be taken over at a valuation to be determined by arbitration.

In reply to questions it was stated that i£ f'nero should be a sign of a deficit a noiwonsamera' rate would be struck. The Act gave power to levy and collect a rate from property-owners within 10 chains of a line if they did not take the current, but the board bad to supply current to any person to the amount of the rate collected. No line would be erected by the board until the settlers to be served signed a guarantee to take sufficient current to make it payable. The proposed prices were (riven as 8d per unit for lighting* 3d down to l-£d for pawer under 10 h.p., and c]own to Ad for higher quantities, and about lJj,d for cooking and beating. The engineer said that he considered that grouping ber of installations and letting the work by contract was f referable to setting up a board's staff. Mr. A. M. Bamball moved a resolution pledging support to the scheme. This was seconded by Mr. J. D. Chalmers,, and carried unanimously. The good, work done on the provisional committee on behalf of Waiuku by Messrs. ■ Chalmers and West was referred to by! Mr. Dean, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to them.