POWER FOR NEW LYNN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19141, 6 October 1925, Page 10

POWER FOR NEW LYNN.

TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT. EXTENSION TO HENDERSON. AN OBJECTION DEFEATED. The question of supplying electric power to Glen Eden and Henderson, in addition to New Lynn, as allowed for in the draft agreement arrived at between the Auckland and Waitemata Power Boards, was discussed by the former b-dy yesterday. The terms provide for the purchase by the Waitemata board cf the reticulation equipment already erected in New Lynn by the Auckland board, with the exception of the transformers, which will be rented to the Waitemata board at the rate of 12£ per sent, a year on the capital cost. Power will be supplied in bulk by the Auckland board until the Waitemata board is able to provide power itself from the Horahora supply, which is expected to bo delivered a!; the Waitemata boundaries in 12 months. The price charged will be at the Government standard rates, namely, £2 10s per k. v. a. a quarter for the first 200 k.v.a., and £2 per k.v.a. thereafter. Exception was taken by several members to the clause " sufficient power shall be available for the supply of the town of New Lynn and for the towns of Glen Eden and Hendersoo." Mr. 8. Irwin Crookes said he was definitely opposed to supplying any other area than New Lynn, and agreed to that only because the board had done a certain amount of reticulation in that township and had thereby assumed obligations. To undertake to supply power for anywhere else would only cause trouble with those portions of the board's own district still waiting far power, Mr, J. Dempsey thought the board should give up the idea of supplying New Lynn altogether. There was no money in it for the Auckland board. Mr, R. G. Clark said he understood it was not an unprofitable undertaking. The general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley, said there were two factors that induced the board to undertake the proportion. One was the fact that it had started reticulation in New Lynn (since abandoned) and spent money there. The other reason lay in the fact that it was a better proposition for the Auckland board to sell power at the maximum Government rates than to do its own installation and sell power at its own rates. Mr. Crcokes said there might be £3OO a year in the arrangement, but he did not think it worth bothering about considering the trouble and discontent it would cause throughout the board's district. Mr. J. Park concurred. The chairman, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, said the arrangement provided that the hoard should supply power in bulk to the Waitemata board's boundary, and in the circumstances lie did not think they could very well stipulate where the Waitemata board was to put it. Mr. E. H. Potter considered it would be grossly unfair to refuse to supply a few consumers when the Auckland board had the power. Mr. T. Bloodworth said the original intention was to supply only New Lynn. He moved that the supply be given solely lor the use of New Lynn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Crookes and was defeated, only Messrs. Bloodworth, Orookes, Park and Howe voting for it. The remaining terms of the agreement were in general approved. A communication from the New Lynn Town Board stated that before any definite move was made in handing over authority to the Waitemata board, the New Lynn Town Board should be consulted. The chairman of the Town Board had made representations on these lines to the Mini ster for Public Works. The letter was referred to the board in committee.