SOUTH TARANAKI ELECTRICITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1935, Page 4

SOUTH TARANAKI ELECTRICITY.

The South Taranaki Power Board is to be congratulated on the fine achievement recorded in the report presented by the chairman, Mr. J. B. Murdoch, at the board’s meeting on Friday. Traversing the operations of the board since it was formed in 1929 Mr. Murdoch showed that it had worked on a sort of “five year plan,” and that every objective had been achieved. The principal points in the programme were that the board should raise only such sums as were necessary to buy out the former proprietors of the undertaking, carry out reticulation work as required and only when a payable load was assured, arrange a supplementary power supply from the Public Works Department, reduce the cost of electricity to consumers as warranted, and establish reserves. The programme has been carried out in such a prudent yet thorough manner that both board and consumers are in a happy position to-day. Apart from reliability of service, which has been satisfactory, the vital point to the consumers is cost. Not only have the reductions in charges over the last five years effected a saving to the consumers of £9OOO per annum, but new rates are proposed, to come into operation on May 1, still further reducing the charges. In addition, the capital cost of installation has been kept at a low figure by the “group wiring system,” in which the local firms participate. From the board’s point of view not the least satisfactory aspect of its operations is the fact that nearly 100 per cent, of its charges over the last five years has been collected. In the manner in which it meets its commitments South Taranaki in general has a remarkable record. The county and borough councils tell the same story, and on Friday it was reported that over 96 J per cent, of European rates had been collected prior to March 31 by the Wai? mate West County Council. Such experiences are rare, and are a tribute to the residents of the district. One of the most significant points in the report of the South Taranaki Power Board, and indeed in the annual report of the Opunake Power Board which met the same day, is that reduction in rates has been a definitely paying proposition, owing to the increased consumption that resulted. It is a policy that might well be giventhorough investigation by some urban power authorities with the object of encouraging secondary industries.