POWER-'BOARD ELECTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16458, 17 June 1924, Page 6

POWER-'BOARD ELECTION.

(To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir, —May I he allowed to draw attention to the fact that the election tomorrow will give'to Poverty Bay a public body second only in importance to the Harbor Board, and that it is the duty of everv elector to record his vote. It is a pity that, with such a task beforo them, candidates have already expressed their determination to support one scheme or another, or that personalities have been indulged in by insinuations that personal motives are likely to outweigh public interest. I trust that unprejudiced capable men will bo chosen to conduct the intricate business investigations involved in the work of a Power Board. If there is one man among the candidates who is outstanding in his knowledge of figures and finance, he is Mr. F. R. Ball. To say that he would be invaluable to the personnel of the Board is to put it mildly; his presence is necessary to its efficiency. If there were among Gis-: borne’s public men a few others with his training, his logical mind and keen unbiassed perceptions, the town and district would 1 to-dav be more respected and solvent than it is. Seeing that he is prepared to devote bis time and knowledge to our interests,, no matter whom else or what other party the electors vote for, I trust that Mr. Ball’s name will be chosen first, and that everyone will spare the few minutes required to go to the polling booths. —I am, yours, etc., C. G. BLOORE.

(To the Editor of the Herald.)

Sir,—ln last night’s pap'er you have another letter from Mr. Wildish going over the same old ground in the same old way. He “relies upon” Messrs. Parry, Nelson, Birks and Kissel, “who are satisfied with Waikaremoana.” Everyone will agree with him there. When once tlierd is a market for 40,000 h.p., Waikaremoana! will be, to quote Mr. Coates, “a good scheme and a cheap one.” But on July 27. 1923, Mr. Coates stated to the Conference of Power Boards that “he had decided that before future developments were gone on with, the Department must have sufficient contracts in hand to ensure the payment of interest and sinking fund on that development.” What’s the use of “demanding” power from Waikaremoana after that, when our probable cle: maud is only 2000 h.p., and it wouldn’t he that unless the power could he delivered here at a really cheap rate? A small quantity like that would not pay to bring from Waikaremoana if we got it for nothing at the power-house there. In this election we have eight candidates who undertake to get the best advieq possible, to study it- and to act upon it, and we hpve one who “feels convinced that there is only one scheme, and that is Waikaremoana.” When did Mr. Wildish become qualified to decide such a question? Was there ever an “amateur engineer’ who knew less about Ids subject?—Yours, etc., THOS. TODD. !

(To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir, —It was not my intention to take any part in the letter-writing controversy which has appeared in the press from lime to time. But, seeing that- mv name has been mentioned in a letter written by Mr. Kells, I .consider it my duty to answer same. Assuming Mr. Kells is correct in his statement that the Waikohu Company did. not see Mr. Ivissell’s report, as it was a confidential one to the Department, I consider Mr. Kells lacking in Ids duties as chairman of the company not to find out the .contents of that report. All the same, will my friend swear, even now, be has not seen or knows something of that “confidential report”? When the matter of Waikohu versus Waikaremoana came up for discussion at several meetings of the Borough Council, you will notice that I was an ardent supporter of Waikohu, as I considered at the time we could get the power much sooner from Waikohu than from Waikaremoana. Another thing I would not do was to buy any shares in the company, as I was a member of the Borough Council at. the time and I did not think I could act impartially if I had bought any shares. As I have said before, the Board wili have to go purely on expert advice on whatever scheme is undertaken. —Y-ours, etc., 11. H. DcCOSTA.