ELECTRICITY FOR OWAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 17

ELECTRICITY FOR OWAKA.

VISIT OF OTAGO POWER BOARD. Members of the Otago Electric Power Board met the Owaka Progress League on March 23, and discussed the question, of extending the board’s lines to Owaka township. Owing to the unavoidable absence of the president (Dr Stenhouse), Mr Thomas Maginness occupied the chair, and extended a hearty welcom e to the Power Board representatives, who comprised Messrs H. M. Driver (chairman), James Guest. D. Boyd, F. Carson, and Collins (engineer). All the Power Board representatives addressed the meeting, stressing the point that however much they might wish to extend tha benefits of electric power and light to tha progressive Owaka district they had to be very careful first to ascertain whether the undertaking was likely to be a commercial success from the board’s point of -view. My Collins went into figures on the subject, and pointed out that to extend the board’s lines from Romahapa, the nearest point so far reached, was going to cost somewhere about £15,000, and' the board would require to see an income of £2OOO a year guaranteed before deciding to go to Owaka. There ,would be approximately 140 consumers in Owaka and on the route from Romahapa, without counting the dairy factory, hospital, and street lighting. The three last-named would approximate £3OO a year in revenue, and the balance of £l7OO would require to be guaranteed before the board could think of going ahead. It was further explained that the main idea of the. meeting was to see if the people were., enthusiastic enough to justify the -board taking a poll of the ratepayers on , the subject, which was necessary under the Act. Now that they had ascertained the feeling existent, the board would have the district canvassed for signed guarantees of support, and if these came up to expectations, then the poH could be taken. The Chairman of the board also pointed out that‘under the new Act power boards were now prohibited from helping financially with the .wiring and fitting up of premises, although they could still supply motors and ranges on the time-pay-ment' system.

, Votes of thanks to th e visitors and tha chairman closed an enthusiatic meeting. The general opinion amongst the local representatives was that there would Vs nj difficulty in getting‘th e required £2OOO a year guarantee.

After the meeting Dr and Mrs J. S. Stenhouse entertained the Power Board representatives at supper.