POWER RETICULATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20239, 26 April 1929, Page 14

POWER RETICULATION.

EXTENSION IN FRANKLIN. PROPOSED LOAN OF £75,000. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 PUKEK.OHE. Thursday. The Franklin Power Board's proposal to raise a further loan of £75,000, on which a poll of the ratepayers is to be taken on May 8, is being explained in detail to meetings of ratepayers throughout the board's district. For this purpose a meeting was held at Patumahoe last evening. Mr. J. Henry presided.

The chairman ol the board. Mr. J. Dean, said the money was required for extensions and improvements to the existing reticulation. The connected load was -very much greater than had been anticipated when the board commenced operations three and a-half years ago, and further areas still awaited reticulation. Last year the board bad made a reduction in its charges for power, and it hoped to make still further reductions from year to year by continuing the policy of financing extensions to reticuiation out of loan money. To financo extensions out of revenue would preclude making reductions at least for some years.

The reductions proposed this year were id per unit on lighting, making tho charge 7jd instead of Bd, and J,d per unit on power for milking motors, making the ehargo 4d instead of 4£d. In addition the board had decided to reduce meter rents from 9s to 5s a year and the minimum charge for drainage pumps from 10s to 5s a week.

On the motion of Mr. R. K. Mcmbery, (lie meeting expressed confidence in the policy of the board and pledged its-alf to support the loan proposals.