INCREASED REVENUE

Putaruru Press, Volume XVI, Issue 904, 7 November 1940, Page 6

INCREASED REVENUE

ELECTRICITY SALES Thames Valley Power Board “The revenue from the sales of electricity for the half year ended September, 1939, was £87,419 7s 9d, against £101,075 11s, which is an increase of £13,656 3s 3d,” says Mr. R. Sprague, manager of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board, in his report and financial statement for the half-year ended September 30. “The statement of revenue comparisons for the two periods show that practically all services have returned most satisfactory increases, and this, together with the control of expenditure, has placed the hoard’s financial affairs in quite a sound position. “The comparison of units sold for the two periods shows the increases of the separate services in detail:— “Lighting and Domestic: Units 1939, 4,464,329; units 1940, 5,420,061; increase, 955,722. "Milking Motors: 1,192,709; 1,425,711; 233,002. “Farm Motors: 143,616; 142,861,decrease, 755. “Waterheaters: 14,443,094; 14,946,998; 503,904. “Industrial (including hulk and factories): 3,298,731; 3,661,538; 362,807. Expenditure “It will be seen that all controlled expenditure administration has shown decreases, notwithstanding that costs under all headings have increased,, both in wages and materials. This is definitely the result of the scheduling of maintenance and replacements, etc., which was adopted by the board and came into operation at the beginning of the financial year. The working of the schedule is being strictly adhered to, the only deviation being where the necessity arises to assist production, such as the giving of supply to milking and farm motors, which now takes preference with the board’s activities. “It may be as well to point out at this stage that the increase in the growth of loading next year will not be by any means as great as these returns supply. There are numerous reasons for this statement, hut the main one is on account of the inability to obtain, at present, appliances such as ranges, toasters and the majority of appliances which use electricity, in the quantities that we have hitherto been able to obtain in the past. Another big factor is that since the board commenced operations, the month of September was the only month that the hoard did not connect any new houses to its supply mains. The inference to be taken from this that practically all existing houses adjacent to the hoard’s mains have been supplied with electricity and that additional loading under this heading must come from the erection of new houses, together with additional supply points in existing houses. Loan Moneys “The £12,000 recently arranged for has now been received by the board. It will be necessary to make arrangements for a further sum to carry over to March 31, 1941. The hoard has been borrowing under the authority of the £90,000, of which £668,000 has been lifted in amounts of £36,000, £IO,OOO, £IO,OOO and £12,000. The Order-in-Council for this loan was issued on July 27, 1938, and the time limit within which the moneys could be borrowed was two years from the date of the Order-in-Conncil. It was not anticipated that further borrowing would be necessary during the current year, but owing to the demand by areas outside the existing lines, together with the extension to the Thames Coast, also supply to Forest Products, it will

be necessary to make application for a further £ 12,000. “Application will have to be made to the Loans Board for their authority ,to revive-this amount, together with the necessary authority sanctioning the borrowing of same. > Cotisumera “The total number of consumers connected •to the hoard’s mains is 12,394 Thames and Te Aroha boroughs are included in this total, and number 1258 and 817 respectively. Thirty-nine lighting and heating consumers were connected, also 36 ranges, 69 waterheaters, 7 industrial motors and 29 motors on farms, of which 15 are milking motors, were connected for the month. There are now connected and operating 2962 ranges, 5578 waterheaters, 934 industrial motors and 6709 motors on farms, of which 3406 are milking motors. Twenty-six consumers had additional lighting and heating connections made.”