ELECTRICAL RATES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8794, 25 July 1914, Page 15

ELECTRICAL RATES

IMPORTANT REDUCTIONS ADOPTED. A voluminous report in which certain reductions in the electrical supply charges were recommended, was received by the City Council at its last meeting from the tramways board, acting conjointly with the electrical engineer (Mr btuart Richardson). The council had called for a report on all matters connected with the charge for track lighting and the supply or current to tne several corporation services, including proposals for new conditions of charging for the Harbour Board and Government supplies. together with the matter of discounts to large consumers. In place of the present charge for track lighting, the board submitted a charge based on the candle power of the lamps. With regard to the general street lighting supply from tho lighting station, the report stated: “The charge made to the district fund for the general lighting of the streets, and which last year amounted to £3647, has been carefully analysed, the charge was based on the current taken by the lamps at 4d per unit, covering costs of generation, repairs and renewals of mains and lamps, superintendence and capital charges on the cost of the installation.” Figures were given which showed that the cost to tho department exceeded the charge made to the district fund by £B4. If the committee desired to make a reduction in tho present charge to tho city, it was recommended that the present system of charging at pei unit bo discontinued, and a scale ol charges per lamp according to the candle power be adopted. A scale of charges was submitted under which a reduction of about £SOO a year would be made in the charge to the district fund, and tho equivalent charge per unit would be reduced from 4d to 3.65 d, which the board considered a .casonable reduction at present. In regard to the power supply, the board recommended a reduction varying fiomlfi to 30 per cent, on the pnsent charges. This was estimated to give the following concessions: To O.C. power supply consumers £1463. to D.C. corporation supply £327. to A.C. power supply consumers £1036. The proposed reduction in the scale for power, supply from the tramways station would result in a loss to the tramways department of £BOO per year in place of the present profit of £993. It was felt that the tramways department oould not at the present time well afford any decrease in the revenue. but at the same time it was manifest that the same rate should be charged for the supply from both stations, and it seemed therefore, necessary that this loss should be incurred by the tramways department in order that a uniform rats might be charged for power from either station. With a view of further popularising electrical heating and cooking the board recommended that the 3d rate for the first 20 units be abolished and a flat rat© of lid charged for all units consumed, which would mean a concession to consumers of £BOO per annum. The existing scale was 3d per unit for the first 20 units consumed and lid for all units used in excess of that number. That scale came into operation a little under four years ago, prior to which time the charge was a flat rate of 3d. In the matter of Government, lighting the board recommended that the flat fate of 5d stand as a maximum charge arid that the Government be allowed to operate on tho present scale to the general public whenever the consumption recorded on any one meter makes such price lower than the maximum of 5d already referred to. The effect of this will be to allow large departmental consumers, - such as the Post and Telegraph, Railways, Internal Affairs, etc., substantial concessions, amounting in the aggregate to about £750 per annum, and will bring down .the average price of the Government supply to a little over 4Jd per unit.

For tho Harbour Board, which has been‘charged a flat rate of sd, it was recommended that the general lighting be charged on the same scale as proposed for the Government, but that a flat rate of 3d per unit be charged for the wharf lighting. This would account to a concession of about £2OO per annum. Tho proposed reductions totalled £3286 in the lighting department and £1792 in the tramways department supply). Councillor Barber moved that the report be referred to the street lighting committee for consideration. The Mayor stated that the report was highly technical, and ho could not go into the details of it. He would sayy however, regarding the track lignting, that the matter had been gone into very thoroughly. He had the assurance of the chairman of tho board that if the street lighting was carried on apart from the tramway undertaking, the expense would be greater. _ . > Councillor Mackenzie said he would like to see something done to make things easier for the people. At present many householders had to install gas for heating purposes. In the committee’s report » flat rate of IJd was recommended for heating and cooking. Ho asked, could not a more equitable system be arranged whereby persons using current for lighting would be charged a uniform rate. .Councillor' Fletcher said the department had done a right thing in reducing the rates for heating and cooking. The policy adopted by the board was in the right direction. They had done all they could to reduce the cost for power, and now they should go in for a less costly arrangement for cooking. Councillor Frost agreed with Councillor Maskenzie. He also thought the department could' arrange for a reduction in tho price where a person used current both for lighting and heating. l lf they did this the corporation could save the cost of one meter.

The Mayor said they were not in a position to make any further reduction in the lighting charge, which was reduced last October. They could/not have one charge for both lighting and power. The committee had met the large consumer on a liberal basis. Councillor Fletcher said the Harbour Board appreciated very much the reduction in the charge, and would in consequence be much larger consumers in the future.

The report was adopted with the exception of the portion referring to street lighting, which was referred to the lighting committee.