POWER SUPPLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22850, 4 October 1937, Page 7

POWER SUPPLY

SERVICE TO HIKUEANGI TURN ING-ON CEREMONY NORTHERN BOARD'S PROGRESS [from OCR own correspondent! WHANGAREI, Saturday Practically the whole population of Hikurangi was present at tli9 ceremony of the turning on of electric current in the Town Board's area by the North Auckland Power Board last evening. The chairman of the Town Board, Mr. R. Nesbit, presided and outlined the steps taken to obtain electricity since IUI6 He paid a tributeto the engineer, Mr. T. It. Overton, and his assistants for the excellence of the work. He thanked the hangarei .Borough Council for its gift of globes for the lights in the Town Board's office.

The chairman of the North Auckland Power Board, Mr. J. A. McLean. said the board had just concluded its first year's activities with a substantial profit, and there were now 1-100 consumers. The position of the board was so satisfactory that he could say quite definitely that the board would never be required to strike the rate it was authorised to strike. The raising of the £300,000 loan to finance the undertaking at the low rate of 3J per cent wig chiefly responsible for the satisfactory financial position. ' The Mayor of Whangarei congratu-' lated Hikurangi on obtaining electricity so quickly, and urged all to use it to the fullest extent.

"It was 21 years yesterday since electric light was switched on in the borough of Whangarei," _ said Mr. Jones. Continuing, he said that for the first year of the borough's electrical undertaking 150,838 units were consumed, while for last month 351.000 units were consumed. During this last year a total of 3,169,250 units was used. The capital cost of th 6 undertaking was £28.000. and the present value of the undertaking was £72,000. Mr. Jones further stated that during the last few years several reductions had been made in the price of electricity and each reduction had resulted in a substantial increase in consumption, »with a corresponding increase in profits. He forecasted a similar satisfactory position for the people of Hikurangi.

Messrs. W. J. Dawson, electrical engineer for the Whangarei Borough Council, and T, P. Overton, engineer for the North Auckland Power Board, also spoke. Mr. H. H. Hawkins, one of the oldest residents of the district, switched on the current. The town -was beautifully illuminated with coloured lights. After the ceremony a social and dance was held in the Criterion Theatre, which was crowded, visitors coming from all the surrounding districts.