Is the M.E.D. so Good?

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 927, 23 November 1933, Page 10

Is the M.E.D. so Good?

Dear Sir, —The story of how Christchurch came to get such a favourable contract for electricity is recalled by Mr Howard Credit for this was undoubtedly due to the late Mr J. M’Combs, M.P., and Mr Howard; other claimants have been made, but let us give honour where honour is due. Now, is the M.E.D. the great success that some people would have us believe ? I doubt it. What about our street lighting? The city Coroner the other day, describing the lighting of a busy thoroughfare, describes it as a “ dim religious light.” Then what about the ugly poles? How many deaths and accidents have these been responsible for ? And as for the overhead cables and wires, these really beggar description. Of course the department has made money; how could they possibly do otherwise? How many millions of units erf electricity has the department bought for one halfpenny a unit and sold for 3d and over, with practically no delivery costs? The success of the department* should be measured by the service rendered to the community and on this score the department falls down lamentably. I don’t think there can be any argement about that. Salaries should be based on the efficiency of the service and not on the profits squeezed out of helpless citizens. To-day there are too many varving charges for the same electricity. Some favoured firms buy their electricity at *d & unit whilst others pay through the nose, as is the case with the poorest section burning the minimum, and the majority of retailers. Political control should be eliminated (both Parliamentary and civic) and the distribution of electricity brought under the control of a commission, and the benefits of hydro-electricity evenly spread throughout the country.—l am, etc, R B