“ONWARD, OTAGO.”

Otago Witness, Issue 3618, 17 July 1923, Page 27

“ONWARD, OTAGO.”

PROPOSED ELECTRIC POWER , BOARD. MEETING AT BALCLUTHA. A fairly well-at tended public meeting was held in the Band Hall, Balclutha, on Tuesday night for the purpose of hearing members of the Otago Expansion League explain the situation regarding the proposed Electric Power Board for Otago. The Mayor (Air S. V. White) occupied the chair, and apologised for the unavoidable absence of Messrs Chas. Todd and A. P. Aldridge (electrical engineer), of Dunedin. Air IV. B. Steel, secretary of the league, then addressed the meeting at considerable length, pointing out that the power board had, through the favourable agreement made between the. Dunedin City Council and the Government, an excellent chance of making good, and of being a payable proposition from the commencement. They were now, in spite of delays and < pposition, in the happy position of Iteing able to say that the power board would be formed, as already sufficient, signatures bad been obtained to the petition, and no matter what happened in Balclutha or elsewhere, the board would lie formed. Tho Expansion League had no axe to grind in this matter, its motto being “Onward Otago,” and it realised that nothing would help forward the province more effectively than the provision of hydro-electric current for household anil industrial uses. The agreement that the Government made with the Dunedin City Corporation provided that the Corporation must sell to a power board when formed at £6 per horse power, plus 2 per cent, to cover emergencies. “Are you going,” asked The speaker, “to let such a magnificent chance slip?” If you do it will never occur again.” It was no use relying on tha City Corporation bringing the light to Balclutha. as before it could do so it would have to go before Parliament and ask for a Bill empowering it to increase its district. Besides, with a Power Board tho town would have a say in the management, which would be much better than trusting to the control of ail outside corporation, which would only give the current. 10 Balclutha on its own conditions and when it liked.

In answer to the Mayor, the speaker stated that if all went well the Powetl Board would have the current in Balclutha by this time next year. Mr Jasper Clark, in the course of his lemarks, said the people were always howling about meat and other trusts, and yet now some of them were advocating that the City Corporation, whioh was in the nature of a trust, should be allowed to ektend its monopoly into the country towns. Mr James Begg, of Dunedin, a director of the South Otago I’reezing Company, said he ltail been delegated by his company to attend the meeting In a somewhat lengthy speech, he strongly controverted Mr .Steel's statements and conclusions, whi h he characterised as over optimistic, and advised the people of Balclutha to have nothing to do with a Power Board, but to trust to the Dunedin City Corporation bringing the current to Balclullia. He argued that the Corporation could undersell tha proposed board, and stated that under a Power Board they would have to pay a heavy; rate. Mr Malcolm, ex-M.P., took the same a lew as Mr Begg, and said that he understood that both M‘r Rhacklcck (chairman of the Lighting Committee of the City Council) and Mr Henderson (the electrical engineer) had stated the willingness of the Corporation to send the power to Balclutha and to give it at- the same rale as the citizens in Dunedin 011 top of that, there was a definite assurance that the light would be there by February next. All that was required was a guarantee that a certain number of people would use (he light, and there would bo 110 financial res]>onsobility whatever, so far as Balclutha was concerned. They would get the current at wholesale prices. Mr R. A. Brewer, anil Mr VYm. Roy, also joined in the discussion. Mr Roy, who was formerly Town Clerk at. Milton, pointed out that there was small oliance of the City ■Corporation extending its lines to Balclulha without: very solid guarantees. Mr Begg had stated that the freezing works would take the current only if it suit*! them to do so. \\ ell, he (Mr Roy) was pretty sure from what happened at Milton when he was there that- Balclutha would not get the power from the City Corporation unless the freezing works were, included If they did they would have tef jiay a stiff rate to the City Corporation, under the guarantee the latter would insist upon. Mr Malcolm: Mr STiaekloek made no mention of the freezing works. Mr Roy : Well, they’ll act very very differently than they did at Milton. Mr Steel ridiculed Mr BeggV pessimism, and said that if there had been many like hint in Edinburgh in 1848 the pioneer ships Philip Laing and John Wiekliffe would never have sailed for Otago. As for Mr Malcolm it was only a few months ago that lie was going up and down the country contending that Dunedin could do nothing well—(Laughter.) But now Dunedin was “the hub of the universe” and he was inviting the people to lean on it. —(Laughter.) Mr Steel further contended that, it was quite a mistake to suppose that the City Corporation would extend its lines to Balclutha. It could not do so without Parliamentary sanction, as its license did not include G'lulha County or any part thereof. The Mayor summed up impartially and said the people of Balclutha could rest assured that men like Mr Steel and Mr Chas. Todd (who was unfortunately absent), had no axe to grind in this matter, and with such gentlemen looking after their interests in the formation of a Power Board they, need have no fear of the outcome. A hearty vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting. The town is now being canvassed for rig* natures to the petition asking the Governor* in-Council to permit the formation of a Power Board. In Bruce and the portion of Clutlia County included in the proposed district the petition has been very extensively signed, far more than the requisite 25 per cent, of the ratepayers having been secured.

Tapanui and Heritit districts have recently had the heaviest fall of snow experienced for years. Old residents, it is said, cannot remember having seen the high country covered with so thick a mantle of white

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