The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1927. JUSTICE WANTED

Southland Times, Issue 20205, 16 June 1927, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1927. JUSTICE WANTED

If they displayed a little warmth before the Southland Electric Power Board on Tuesday, the representatives of the nonreticulated ratepayers are to be excused. They are entitled to relief and everybody agrees that their claim to special treatment is unanswerable, but unfortunately circumstances over which they have no control have delayed for another year the granting of this relief, unless the boaid is able to obtain some amending legislation which will overcome the obstacles now in the way. When the deputation waited on the board it presented its case on behalf of the non-reticulated ratepayers in calm and lucid language, but the chairman’s reply, seeming to put the whole responsibility for the delay on to the board's solicitors,* led to a situation which could not fail to be irritating. The frequent reference to the board’s solicitors put forward an erroneous view of the position, and left the members of the deputation with the impression that there had been shuffling. Subsequent explanations did not serve to remove this impression because it shifted the blame on to the staff, which, it was shown later, had carried out its work expeditiously, and in the circumstances had acquitted itself of a laborious and intricate task with credit. The immediate cause of the delay is that the granting of this relief involves the board in the definition of various areas, and under the act these definitions have to be elaborately set out, and shaped to an accuracy that will defy misunderstanding. In the opinion of the board’s solicitors, to whom these definitions were referred before the proposals were adopted, the position was not set out fully enough to comply with the requirements of the law, and so a decision could not be reached. The delay, then, has not been caused by any fault of the solicitors and the staff is not to be blamed. If any one is at fault it is the board in not setting this business in motion earlier; but it looks as if the members of the board did not anticipate the peculiar difficulties which now confront them. A full explanation made in the early stages would have obviated a little acrimony, and put the discussion on a better footing. It is clear that at the present moment relief is denied these non-reticulated ratepayers, some of whom express their willingness to pay if they can only obtain current; but that does not exhaust the possibilities. It should be possible to induce Parliament to grant enabling legislation which would remove these obstacles and make possible the extension of simple justice to these ratepayers. The board may sympathise with these suppliants, but if it is really anxious to do something it can approach Parliament and by its acts show that its sympathy is practical.