The Waikato Independent TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1929. ELECTRICITY CHARGES.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 3102, 25 June 1929, Page 4

The Waikato Independent TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1929. ELECTRICITY CHARGES.

Consumers of electricity—and they represent about 90 per cent.- of tho district householders—will welcome the intimation in to-day's issue that rates for electric current in certain departments are to immediately undergo a reduction. It will give general satisfaction to the majority of the users that the lighting rates- are--to be reduced. 14d per unit —from 9d nett to 7M nett. There, had been a feeling for a considerable time that some reduction in the lighting charges should be made, and the considerable reduction now- announced will be fully appreciated. A reduction of Id per unit in the commercial lighting charges is also a very material concession, and will.be appreciated by the business people. It will also be seen that in this connection the Board has adopted a sliding scale of charges for heavier users of current, showing a considerable reduction for very heavy consumers. This is a step in the right direction, and should benefit the Board if the encouragement results in a greater supply to consumers off the peak load. It will also be noticed. that in connection with water heaters and pumping the concession extended some ,time ago is being continued with those consumors whose services are regulated by time switches, though the consumer with a continuous service will have to pay a little more than in the past. This is reasonable, for the Board arc, wherever possible, endeavouring to conserve their peak, and while this is possible, consumers may expect to have cheaper rates. While some may have felt that a reduction, no matter how slight, in the lighting charges might have come a little earlier, we- believe it will be appreciated that now the Board feel they are in a sound enough position to make a reduction, they have not been niggardly in the concession just granted. In looking back over tHie past it must also be remembered that thelocal Board have administered affairs, without recourse to striking a rate, as other Boards have done. The concession granted by the Board at its meeting yesterday is the most notable one since, the inception of the Board. This is emphasised by the statement of the Engineer yesterday, that- the reduced rates represent a concession to consumers 6f approximately £9OO on a year's working. The reduced charges wore not provided for in the Board's estimates for the current year, but we feel confident that' at the end of the year the Board will find their finances on the right side of the ledger. At the end of the last financial year the Board's operations concluded with a credit of £6OB, and it was estimated that the excess of receipts over expenditure this year would be £471, thus providing for a balance of approximately £1079. With the.granting of a concession amounting to £9OO, it will be i seen that the credit, on paper, would

be about eaten up. It is appreciated thfit the Board will have to go along carefully during the year, but as tho principal reduction affects nearly every householder, it is reasonable to assume that the concession in this direction will bo offset by an even greator degree of popularity in the use of current.