THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1925. THE POWER BOARD.

Wairarapa Age, 30 July 1925, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1925. THE POWER BOARD.

The letters which have appeared in ‘‘!Hie Age” and other papers in the Wairarapa regarding recent administrative acts of the Wairarapa Power Board, and even more the comments that are being made by ratepayers of standing, indicate that there is some truth ip the statement of a contemporary that the Power Board at present does not enjoy the full confidence of the ratepayers. Considering the extent of the undertaking, wliich involves more than a quarter of a million pounds of capital raised on the security of the district, the Board has enjoyed to rather a remarkable extent the confidence, or at any rate the forbearance, of the ratepayers. Even when the district was put to .very grave inconvenience as a result of the floods in December, the sufferers and the public generally waited patiently and uncomplainingly for things to be remedied. There is evidence now, however, that people are inclined to be restive, and we cannot say that the reply of the chairman (Mr J. W. Kershaw) has materially allayed their anxiety. One point upon which a direct answer whs demanded was the qualifications of the engineer to whom the Board has decided to entrust the operation and security of this vast undertaking. The question is bluntly whether Mr Keenan’s qualifications and experience are such as to justify the Board in appointing him to such a. responsible position. Wc trust that Mr Kershaw will not belittle the uneasiness of the public on the ground that it has been expressed in anonymous letters. ‘‘The Age” does not as a rule accept anonymous letters. It never accepts them from persons of no standing. The letters which have appeared in this paper are from men of good standing tiro community, and they appeared anonymously for what seemed good and sufficient reasons. It is evident to us that the opinions and fears expressed in those letters are more or less widely entertained. It is true that the ratepayers have the power of showing their dissatisfaction at the next election of members of the Board; but that is far ahead of USj and the matter which u causing

anxiety is with us to-day. As there are fears that the undertaking is to be entrusted to an officer whose qualifications and experience are unequal to the task, Mr Kershaw can quite easily set them at rest by stating fully what are the qualifications of Mr Keenan and what experience he has had. Not only a vast capital expenditure but the safety of many employes and some of the public is at stake, so Mr Kershaw will realise the advisability of taking the public entirely into his confidence.