ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1931, Page 10

ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

SOUTH TARANAKI BOARD AREA PATEA COUNTY TO BE INCLUDED QUESTION OF REPRESENTATION. Marking the conclusion of a long controversy, it was hoped that the position of the South Taranaki Power Board’s outer area would be definitely settled yesterday. A petition signed by a majority of ratepayers in the district, which includes the Patea county, but not the Patea borough, and the southern portion of the Hawera county, asking for inclusion in the inner area had been considered and the gazetting of a proclamation was anticipated. Although the board has received no advice as to what happen-:! to the objection which has delayed the pioclamation, it is apparent fn ’j the communications received that t has not been upheld. The inclusion of the outer area has now raised the question of representation on the board. It has been suggested by the Public Works Department that the Patea county should have two representatives and the Hawera county, part of which is in the outer area, an additional one. The department also proposes the mergino- of the luanaia and Normanby representation. The board, after considering the question yesterdayformulated a different proposal suggesting that the representation be as at present with the addition of two Patea county members; that is, Hawera county 2, Hawera borough 2, Waimate county 2, Manaia town district 1, Normanby Town district 1. . On Tuesday the board received the following telegraphic advice from the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. W. B. Taverner:—“ln reply to your- telegram I have to advise the proclamation has been signed and forwarded-to the Governor-General for signature. It will probably be gazetted on Thursday.” Mr. F. W. Furkert, chief Public Works Department engineer, wrote that the petition had been favourably entertained. A proclamation giving effect to the desires of the petitioners had been drafted and was in the course of execution. In the meantime the proposals set out in the petition as to representation had been considered and it ap- . peared that with the averages of population and valuation in accordance with the Act taken '.into account the following was a comparison of the present representation ’ to which c&ch district would be entitled in a board of ten members:— Hawera County.—Present representation, 2; correct representation, 3.64; department’s suggestion, 3. Patea County^—Present representation, —. correct representation,- 1.51; department’s suggestion, 2. Hawera borough—Present representation, 2; correct representation, 2.28; department’s suggestion, 2. Waimate County.—Present representation, 2; correct representation, 2.15; ■department’s suggestion, 2. Manaia.—Present representation, 1; correct representation/ .26; departments suggestion, Normanby.—Present representation, 1; correct representation, .16; department’s suggestion, |. In view of the fact that Manaia and Normanby town districts were entitled to only .42 members, Mr. Furkert continued, it seemed absurd that they should have two representatives between them and the department suggested that they should' be combined and one member allocated to represent them jointly, The board was asked to consider the question. ■ ' The board yesterday fully discussed the suggestions put forward by Mr. Furkert. It was considered that it was not desirable to alter the existing representation, other than by the addition of two representatives of the Patea county. The board was of opinion that there was no community of interests in Manaia and Normanby. There was, rather, _• more in common between the Hawera borough and Normanby. Representatives of Normanby and Manaia were elected for a two-year term only last September and the board felt that they should be allowed to complete their terms of office.

One member held, the view that most boards were too large and unwieldy. His conviction was that if the board consisted of five members that would be ample. As far as the Hawera county ratepayers giving in the outer area were concerned it was thought that their interests would be well looked after ■by the sitting members for the Hawera county, Messrs. J. B. Murdoch • (chairman) and E. A. Washer. When the petition for inclusion .in the inner area was being prepared it was stated that there were 182 ratepayers in the Hawera county portion. of the outer area. FURTHER RELIEF ALLOCATION. £3OO SPENT IN SOUTH TARANAKI. An additional allocation of £5O wag received by the South Taranaki relief committee yesterday from the Unemployment Board. The total granted to date for subsidies on temporary work amounts to £350, of which over £3OO has been spent. . HAWERA ENTERTAINMENTS. “RAIN OR SHINE” AT GRAND. Joe Cook, who makes his film debut in the screen version of the successful stage hit, “Rain or Shine,” scheduled to play at the Grand Theatre, Hawera, to-night and to-morrow night, literally went through fire and water in the making of this spectacular comedy. The first scene in the manuscript calls for a terrific downpour of rain, and the last scene likewise. Then there is a sequence of the picture which depicts the burning of a complete circus. In between there are inteludes where the famous California sunshine is much in demand. Marion Davies reaches new triumphs in .“The Gay Nineties,” her new Metro-Goldwyn-t Mayer all-talking comedy, which will be shown finally at the Opera House, Hawera, to-night. In the new picture Miss Davies brings quaint recollections of the 90’s—the “good old days.” The trans-Tasman flier, Mr. Guy Menzies, is expected at Hawera from New Plymouth at 9.30 o’clock to-morrow morning. Mr. Menzies will be officially welcomed at the Hawera aerodrome, after which he will be entertained «** morning tea. He will leave for the south at 12.30 p.m.