ELECTRIC POWER

Southland Times, Issue 18985, 20 November 1920, Page 5

ELECTRIC POWER

SUPPLY TO LOCAL BODIES. ONUS OF RETICULATING. THE BOARD’S POLICY. At the meeting yesterday the Electric Power Board had the question of its policy in regard to the reticutation of the areas of the smaller public bodies and the sale of power to them under consideration. The chairman, in introducing the question, said that Wyndham wished the Board to do the work, but such places as Otautau, Riverton, and Nightcaps were no doubt expecting to buy the power in bulk. This would mean a very considerable expense in the maintenance of a resident engineer of experience. It had been suggested to him that a better method would be for the Board’s officers to advise in regard to reticulation and also in regard to the administration of the power. This would mean that the public bodies would be faced with a smaller expenditure as they would have to engage less experienced men as engineers. The Board could make an extra charge for the power to meet the expenditure. Mr F. Young said he did not think that the Board should enter into competition with engineers in Invercargill who were prepared to do the work. The chairman spoke of the advisability of getting local bodies to push on with reticulating their areas as early as possible. Mr R. A. Anderson favoured the suggestion, as it would lead to standardisation in the system of reticulation. There was no need for immediate action, except in special cases, Mr Hinchey thought, but all bodies should be informed that the Board Would be prepared to do the work for them. Mr Young said that small authorities would probably find that it would be cheaper to let the Board come into their areas, reticulate, and sell rather than to do this themselves. Some doubt as to whether, if -the Board undertook this work, things would go smoothly, was expressed by Mr R. A. Rodger. By" taking over the work the Board would be asking Messrs Hay and Vickerman to cany out work about which there had been no previous arrangement. He did not wish the local authorities to get it into their heads that the Board was in a position to give them better terms through Messrs Hay and Vickerman than they could get elsewhere. “We are not doing our work on comprehensive lines unless we get our own engineer and do the work ourselves,’’ declared Mr E. Bowmar. Mr H. Fowler said the local authorities were part of the Board’s district. They were represented by members ratting at the table. Therefore, the general policy should be to tell the authorities that, as soon as the Board had its own engineer, it would be prepared to do the work. They should not let any impression go abroad that the Board was not prepared to do ite duty.

Hie chairman: Eveiy local authority has been advised that the Board is prepared to assist it, by way of getting material, etc., and the result, partly, is that they are coming to us for advice. Mr Hinchey expressed the opinion that the Board should decide that it would do the work for Edendale at a reasonable price through Messrs Hay and Vickerman, and that every other body be informed that, when it obtained its own engineer, the Board would be prepared to do the reticulation work at a minimum cost.

On' the suggestion of the chairman, Mr Hinchcy moved in this direction, the motion being carried. .