POWER FOR MARAMARUA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20990, 29 September 1931, Page 10

POWER FOR MARAMARUA

AREA IN CENTRAL DISTRICT.

REQUEST FOR TRANSFER.

PETITION BY THE SETTLERS. [FROM Of n OWN CORRESPONDENT.) HAMILTON. Monday. The question whether the Central or the Franklin Electric-Power Board should servo the Mararnarua district with power was submitted to a commission appointed by the Government as the result of a petition from settlers in the district praying for a transfer of the area from the Central Board's district to the Franklin Board's district. The commission sab at Hamilton today. It consisted of Messrs. 11. M. Millar (chairman), representing the Public Works Department; H. F. Toogood, engineer, representing outside interests; and U. Self, representing the Valuation Department. Representatives of the Franklin and Central Power Boards vvero present, as well as expert witnesses. Mr. J. F. llosking, solicitor for the Franklin Board, said the aroa in dispute was included in the Central Board's district in 1925. In 1929 the settlers desired to be supplied with power, but the Central Board would not agree to reticulate tho area unless a special loan was raised and a return of 16£ per cent, on the outlay involved was guaranteed.

Tho Franklin Board was in a position to construct tho lines required out of reservos which it held at a price which would return it 15.6 per cent. The most important point on tho Franklin Board's side of the case, said Mr.' Hosking, was tho fact that every resident ratepayer in tho district except one had signed the petition in favour of transferring the district to tho Franklin district. If they were allowed to join tho l'ranklin Board they could get the power straight away. Mr. F, A. Swarbrick, solicitor for tho Central Board, said tho board did not wish to lose Mararnarua because it had always looked forward to reticulating the area with a view to counter-balancing its industrial load in the Huntly district. Tho board had authority to raiso £40,000' over its whole area, and it .intended to_ put in lines which would servo tho district in dispute. The board had taken up the attitude that it should not accumulate reserves, but that any profits it made on electricity should be returned to consumers in the form of lower charges. Tho board had always held tho view that each new district reticulated should carry its own loans. Mr. Swarbrick described the routes which tho Central Board's lines would follow, and said his board was willing to proceed with the reticulation of the areas as soon as the necessary guarantees regarding supply were forthcoming.

After hearing counsel's statements, the commission decided to inspect the area this afternoon and to take evidence at Mararnarua to-morrow morning.