POWER CHANGE OVER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17230, 9 April 1930, Page 10

POWER CHANGE OVER

COUNCIL DISSATISFIED WILL SEEK LEGAL OPINION SKWKUAfiK FUill'B TO i n."iT £2'£iio. "Iht: question :;- oho of great concern Hut only to Mm cnumil bin also to uie consumers m the borough as a whole. ' commented Cr. I'. Collin .'ii last evening s meeting of the Borough Council. ;u moving that the opinion 01 the alum eipal Corporation's .solicitor shoukl be sought in connection w tlii certain poims in i lift change-over by the I'outi- Hoard from, direct tn alternating current. In the course of tile discussion on t tie question of the change-over it was mentioned by the Mayor that if the council wore forced to change over the estimated cost in connection with the sewerage pumps would be £2200, and it. was unanimously resolved that legal opinion should be obtained. The matter was Jirst brought up when the following paragraph in the report of the engineer, Mr. A. Young, was under consideration : "I have been investigating the question of the change-over hum direct to alternating current as atloeting council plant, and have obtained a certain amount of data and costs, but at the moment 1. am not able to put forward a definite estimate of costs of such change over. Information from the firm who supplied the existing motors and pumps is being collected, and 1. hope to submit definite costs .shortly.'' The Mayor. Mr. .1). VV. Coleman, commented thai, if the council were forced to change over to alternating current, now at least two of the sewerage, pumps would have to be discarded completely, and it was possible that, a third would have to be discarded also, though it was possible that with a certain amount of expenditure the third pump might bo saved. 'J he engineer had assured him, however, that the change-over of i\u; pumps would cost the council approximately £2200. (Jr. .11. K. .Maude said he remembered distinctly that at a conference between the. council and representatives and the engineer of the Power Board, the board representatives stated that, so great' would be tin; advantages accruing, it would pay them to make the change! over at their own cost. i The Mayor agreed that that had been' clearly stated. further, it bad been 1 staled thai the board would not change' over to A.C. within a radius of half a' mile of the power house, as it. would not ; pay to do so. i Cr. Collin moved that the Municipal! Corporation solicitor should be asked for his opinion as to the following: {!.) ' Whether or not the Poverty .Pay Power Board could compel the Borough Council to change over its motors from direct current to alternating current as at. March 51, 1931; (2) what effect the agreement made between the board and the council had vu this question''; (3) could the board in tile event of the council nof, changing over, increase, its charges to D.C. users in view of the fact that it was authorised by the lileetric Power Boards Act to sell electricity .upon such terms and conditions as it thought lit?; (4) were other consumers who had direct current in the same position as the council as to the change-over of their motors, and if not, What was their position? The question, said Cr. Collin, was of groat concern not only to the council but also to consumers in the borough as a whole, and particularly the owners of electric motors, and ho thought it only right that the council should get the Municipal Corporation's solicitor to give his opinion on the various questions he had raised. It was the speaker's intention when a reply was received to ask the Mayor to call a public meeting, at which an explanation of the legal position could bo given to the consumers, who could then go into the question of what attitude they should take lip in the matter. Cr. Ii". K. Maude seconded the motion. Cr. S. V. Beaufoy agreed that in view of what had taken place the motion was a very necessary one. Statements had been made and had been reported in the press, and ;i legal opinion must be obtained. "It is no use our butting our heads against a wall if the law is against us," added Cr. Beaufoy. Cr. H. H. DeCosta: As soon as we obtain the opinion we shall know whero we are. and shall be able to air our viows. j . The motion was carried, and on the motion of Cr. Maude, it was resolved also to ascertain from any other local bodies which disposed of their electrical, undertakings to power boards the terms of the agreements entered into.