WAIPORI POWER SCHEME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 2

WAIPORI POWER SCHEME.

QUESTION OF SALE. FULL EXPLANATION WANTED. A brief discussion took place at the meeting of the Manufacturers’ Association last night on the proposal to sell the City Corporation’s electric power plant at Waipori to the Government. Mr J. H. Stewart stated that it appeared to him that before anything was ‘ done in this direction the ratepayers should he put in full possession of the facts as the council might dispose of a right which Dunedin and no other centre possessed. A few years ago an attempt had been made by the Government to persuade all power boards to make a uniform charge. ‘ A measure to that effect had nearly been put through the House. It was just possible that an attempt was being made to lead the council into this way of thinking. The council should he asked to supply all the particulars of the matter so that the manufacturers would have a chance of discusing it. It was a very dangerous proposal; said Mr W. R. Hayward, and every method of avoiding it should be explored before a sale was effected. No matter what the conditions of the sale might be Dunedin would eventually, be involved in the payment of the uniform rate. The chairman (Mr J. Sutherland Ross) stated that the association should enter an emphatic protest against anything being done until the matter was fully explained. A motion on the lines suggested bv the chairman .was carried.