ELECTRIC POWER BOARDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19551, 6 August 1925, Page 13

ELECTRIC POWER BOARDS.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE.*. SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER. (Pkb United Fbess Association.! WELLINGTON, August 6. The annual conference of delegates representing the Electric Power Boards' Association was opened to-day. Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., who presided.over a large attendance, recorded the progress made during the year, and paid tribute to the assistance given by the Hon. J. G. Coates. It was not proposed, he said, to introduce any legislation affecting power boards during the 1925 session. The Association had been making good progress. The membership was now 40:-and other electrical undertakings were being represented under the constitution of the association. Mr Nash also dealt with, the question of awards as affecting power boards. The, executive was endeavouring to have separate awards made for power board workers, and it was also seeking power to alter the constitution and effect a policy of consolidation. The Prime Minister spoke in reference to power boards, and congratulated the association and the electrical supply authorities on the interest taken in reticulation for the supply of electricity. It was on the power boards that they had to rely for business management. The people of New Zealand were becoming responsible for a large expenditure, up to £15,000,000 for the actual of electricity, apart from its distribution. The balance-sheets of the power boards show a vast improvement in finance. All but about three were paying their ww, and only three were collecting rates. He considered the power boards were on the way to making a success of the supply of electricity. They were looking for cheaper electricity, but existing contracts - must stand. The Government must get the same amount in total for its electricity. The policy was to deliver electricity right through the country, and that could only succeed by one part of the country helping another part. The Power Boards’ conference resolved that power boards be given authority to alter their constitution by reducing 1 or increasing the number of members of a board. It was also resolved that in respect ot loans domiciled in Australia, the Government be authorised to make payment, of interest in New Zealand where such is mutually satisfactory to the lenders tod borrowing authorities. The report of the engineers' conference which had been concluded on. the previous evening was presentel by Mr H. F. Toogood, chairman of the Power Board engineers’ conference. < The conference approved of the following resolution from the engineers: That a technical section of the Power Boards’ Association be formed to meet annually immediately prior to _ the Power Board's conference; this section to include consulting engineers connected with power I board work; that a permanent committee > be set up to represent the technical sec- j tion, such committee to be elected atr an annual conference of engineers; that, the committee be instructed to collaborate with the officers of the various Government departments concerned, together with the Electrical Bederation and Fir© Under- j writers’ Association in order to bring about a standard set of rules and regulations; that the Government be recommended to set up an advisory board to pass all electrical fittings and appliances offered for sale and use in the electrical industry. Where is was mutually satisfactory the Government was to be asked to" provide an investing authority for any special funds that might be set aside by power boards. ■ The conference considered that the. Government should set an example and connect up its own buildings and employees’ residences with power boards’ supplies first. ..

It was stated that railway buildings were usually the last to'connect. In cases where trees were likely to prove dangerous to electrical works and the supply of current, power was being asked ,itrr„,Lho boards to cut them down at the expense of the owners and also to cut back overhanging branches. . ; A decrease on the duty on electrical appliances is to he urged. Mr E. A. Ransom (Dannevirke) said that in many cases it was impossible to discern'whether goods were British or German.A distinguishing mark should be imprinted on the article. , A proposal from the New Plymouth borough to confer upon municipal councils all the powers of boards under the Act was vetoed, as was the suggestion 1 to exempt power board vehicles from the heavy traffic by-laws.