ELECTRICITY RATES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22490, 27 January 1943, Page 4

ELECTRICITY RATES

THE decision of the Timaru 1 Borough Council to reduce the domestic, industrial and commercial electricity rates from April 1 will be generally welcomed, for there are few ways in which general overhead expenditure can be lessened in these times. During the discussion on the proposals at the special meeting of the Borough Council on Monday there was complete accord on the desirability of reducing the industrial rate, but opinion was divided on the question of giving a further concession to the domestic consumers. That the domestic rate is cheap already is not a valid argument against further reduction if this is possible. Therefore the Council rightly decided that domestic users should benefit under the new rate schedule. There is no reason why the Electricity Department should obtain from the people revenue beyond its real needs and it is sound and fair policy that a periodical rebate should be made when reserves are accumulating. Cr. Foote properly stated that the Electricity Department is no charge tin the General Account of the

Borough. “What we have and own has been built lip by the consumers,” he said. It is reasonable, therefore, I hat when a return is possible it should he made to the consumers, and ibis is particularly so at the present time. If circumstances • hangc. as Cr. Mothers suggested they might change die war, there would be no <i-m of an increase in the electricity charge if this became necessary. The general rating of the Borough varies with changing conditions and Borough enterprises can be similarly elastic in their charges.