HOSTILE RECEPTION

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2269, 16 February 1929, Page 5

HOSTILE RECEPTION

POWER BOARD ASSAILED.

SOME OUTSPOKEN CRITICS.

(By Telegraph. Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Friday.

The warm reception accorded members of the Auckland Power Board who made a tour of inspection of the southern portion of the board’s district yesterday was abruptly broken at Manurewa in the afternoon. Plain speaking was indulged in between board members and ratepayers, one of the latter alleging that the board should not attempt to raise the loan of £675,000 on Wednesday, while “a £400,000 building is being erected for the board’s use in Queen Street” Stormy scenes and interruptions followed and further allegations were made that the board had deliberately failed to keep faith with the prospective power consumers of the district. Mr Holdsworth: Well, if there is dissatisfaction, why don’t the ratepayers appeal to me themselves?

Dr Jenkins: Because they are inarticulate and I am not. Your personality overawes them. You are a big man in Auckland, Mr Holdsworth, and you can easily impress an outlandish “cocky.” They would agree vdth anything you said even though they felt otherwise, because they are frightened of you. Mr M. J. Bennett: The Government has laid it down as a condition of the license that we are not allowed to reticulate any area that will not pay 12 per cent unless we get a guarantee. Dr Jenkins asked why, if the policy of the board was to ask for a guarantee, they did not give a guarantee in return as to'when'the work would be done.

Mr Bartley: We will. Dr Jenkins: I flatly contradict you. I have been informed by officials that you would not. Mr Bartley: Yes, we will. But the guarantee must be obtained from the correct source, not from any of our officials. The Power Board will do that.

The discussion concluded by Mr Holdsworth inviting Dr Jenkins to call at the board’s offices, and suggesting that members of the board call on him at his home, when all details of the board’s operations could be explained in full.