LOWER RATE FOR ELECTRICITY

Southland Times, Issue 23389, 22 December 1937, Page 6

LOWER RATE FOR ELECTRICITY

Power And Lighting

In Gore

REDUCTION DATES BACK TO 1932 Charges for electricity for lighting and power in Gore will be reduced, the reduction dating back to December 1, 1932, according to the decision of the arbitrator (Mr F. B. Adams, of Dunedin), who was appointed to settle the dispute between the Borough Council and the Southland Electric Power Supply. The dispute originated about the middle of last year through the discovery by the Gore Borough Council that power charges within the borough of Mataura were on a scale calculated to give consumers in Mataura advantages over those in Gore. A clause in the Gore Borough Council’s agreement with the Southland Electric Power Board, later superseded by the Electric Power Supply, provided that if power was sold in any local area within the Southland power district at a cheaper rate than that charged in Gore, consumers in Gore would immediately benefit by a reduction to the same rate.. The scale of charges for the two districts was on a different basis and it was contended by some Gore consumers that they would benefit by a change to the Mataura rates. The system of charges in the two boroughs was as follows:— LIGHTING Gore.—On two-monthly readings, the first 42 units used were charged at 7d (later reduced on the abolition of the board to 6Jd); the second 42 units were charged at 4Jd; the next 84 emits at 2|d and any balance at l|d. Mataura.—All lighting units were charged at a flat rate of 6d a unit. POWER Gore. —Electricity used for power purposes was charged at the same rate as for lighting and registered on the same meter. Mataura.—A separate rate of 2Jd a unit was charged. COOKING Gore.—The charge for cooking was Id a unit. Mataura.—The charge for cooking was l£d a unit. The finding of the arbitrator provides that the charge for the first 21 units a month for lighting in Gore will be reduced to 6d a unit, and the other charges will be retained. A separate charge for power of 2Jd a unit will be made to those consumers who apply to have a separate meter installed. It is considered that for the average householder the new rates will be a great advantage.