POWER BOARD SUPPLIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1931, Page 15

POWER BOARD SUPPLIES.

. .(To -the - ~ . x Sir,— May I trespass On your valuable space to criticise a statement made by Mr.' J. B. Murdoch, : chairman of the South Taranaki (Power Board, in his address to ratepayers of (Patea.on Tuesday, December 15. Mr. Murdoch stated: “Some of the contractors were not in a sufficiently large way of business to supply motors and This. statement has a very flimsy foundation, a-s contractors have never been consulted in this respect, nor have they any option of supplying such gear; they, are simply requested to quote on. a contract, which specifically states the Power Board shall supply such articles as motors, -waterheaters, cut-outs and main switches. EVen if several contractors wefe in the small way suggested by Mr. Murdoch, this would not deter them from supplying this gear, as their monthly progress payments from the board would easily meet accounts, which would be due on the‘ 20th of the month following these progress payments. This trading by the board is obviously a method, of bolstering up their paraded profits. I am surprised at the sentiment expressed on behalf of the small contractor.' The (Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, stated in-'the House that he did not know of any local 'body trading against local enterprise. The .South Taranaki Rower (Board is a case well worth investigating. If the board were supplying this gear to consumers at a reduced price, it would considerably lighten the Act, but this is not so;. any contractor would gladly welcomethe opportunity of supplying at the same- price. In these times of acute stress private enterprise (which pays taxes) should bs bolstered, not baulked. -—I am', etc., • SCENERY-(SHIFTER.