POWER BOARDS

Southland Times, Issue 22490, 26 January 1935, Page 5

POWER BOARDS

CONCENTRATION OF EFFORT.

PROPOSED PERMANENT SECRETARIAT.

A conference of representatives of South Island power boards was held in the Dunedin Town Hall on Thursday afternoon, and was attended by Messrs W. Hinchey (Southland), A. E. Russell (Otago), and G. Dash (South Canterbury)—members of the Dominion Executive of Power Boards and SupplyAuthorities —Messrs J. B. Shacklock, J. J. Marlow and M. C. Henderson (engineer), Dunedin City Corporation; Messrs R. Milligan and J. Denford (secretary), Waitaki Power Board; Mr T. P. Michelle, Teviot Power Board; P. Arnott, W. McChesney, and C. Campbell (secretary), Southland Power Board; Messrs A. E. Russell, G. Moore, C. R. Smith, R. A. Michelle, D. Boyd, W. Lee, L. Potter (secretary), and R. D. Veitch (engineer), Otago Power Board.

Mr Hinchey was appointed chairman of the conference. He said that it was really a preliminary meeting, and that the members present would in due course have to report to their respective boards regarding the proposals to be placed before them that afternoon. A circular had been sent out by the president of the association, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., regarding the proposals. It was suggested that they should establish a secretariat in Wellington, so that the business brought before the central conference such as remits, insurance, etc., should be given effect to in a better manner than at present. As a consequence of the present state of affairs the power boards, particularly the Auckland body, had thought it wise to have a different method. The present proposal had come from Auckland in the first place. Mr Dash read the circular which had been sent to the power boards by Mr Nash. The circular stated that it had beer, for some time felt, and the feeling had found repeated expression at the conferences, that the interests of boards and supply authorities in the future could best be served _ by an organization better able to provide continuity of effort and more sustained activity between conferences. Such an organization would express more definitely the identity of the industry, and ensure its ability to speak with a united voice, and more effectively carry out its aims. The object of the conference having been outlined, the meeting went into committee to discuss the various points in the proposal. After a discussion lasting over two hours it was decided that the conference should adjourn so that members could report further to their respective boards. It was left to the chairman and Messrs Dash and Russell to fix the date for the next meeting.