HIGHER REVENUE RECEIVED

Southland Times, Issue 23796, 19 April 1939, Page 6

HIGHER REVENUE RECEIVED

CHEAPER RATES FOR ELECTRICITY

MORE REDUCTIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE In spite of reductions made last year in electricity charges in Invercargill the revenue has been well maintained and in a statement yesterday the Mayor (Mr J. R. Hanan) expressed the opinion that it might be possible, after examination of the final returns for the financial year, to make provision for further reductions in charges during the next few months. Charges have shown a steady reduction during the last four years and the consumption of electricity has shown an even greater increase. For the first time in the history of the distribution of electricity in the city the average charge a unit was under 2d, showing a reduction compared with the previous year of .18d a unit. In 1932 the average price a unit was 2.44 d ana the reduction was slow over the next four years, but has been greatly accelerated since 1936, with the greatest drop last year. “I have said previously that the more electricity the people used the greater would be the reduction in price, said the Mayor. It appeared that still more reductions would be possible in the near future. , , „ . The Mayor quoted the following figures of the consumption of electricity and average charges:—

A report submitted to the City Council last night showed that the total revenue from electricity for the 11 months of the financial year to the end of February had been £50,055 15/7 compared with £50,953 2/- for the same period of the previous year. Private lighting revenue had increased from £39,934 to £40,030; power and heating had declined from £6,490 to £5,297, and cooking revenue had increased from £375 to £403. The private lighting average rate a unit had dropped from 2.88 d to 2.61 d; power and heating from 1.47 d to 1.24 d, and the cooking rate from 1.26 d t00.95d. From private consumers a higher revenue had been obtained although the rate had been reduced. Speaking to the report last evening the Mayor said that electricity had been sold more cheaply, but more units had been sold and higher revenue received. He thought the position was very satisfactory.

Units d 1934-35 4,824,000 2.33 1937-38 5,734,465 2.13 1938-39 6,151,133 1.95