ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3471, 26 May 1934, Page 7

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

TE AWAMiUTU POWER BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING RE-ELECTS CHAIRMAN. .

The fourteenth annual meeting of Te Awamutu Electric Power Board, held yesterday, was attended by the following members: Messrs J. T. Johnson (chairman), J. U. Sutherland, A. L. Storey, N. M. Lethbridge, W. J. North, J. C. Montefiore, J. B. Teasdale, and S. C. B. Macky. Also present was the secretary-manager (Mr D. T. B. McArthur). Mr North was cordially welcomed back to the Board table after an absence of three months as a result of a motoring accident. ■Mr North thanked the Board members for their expressions of sympathy in connection with his accident, and sthe (donsideration extended to him during his enforced absence from Board meetings. The returning officer invited nominations for the office of chairman, and Mr J. T. Johnson was unanimously re-elected for the fifteenth consecutive term, and he was the recipient of congratulations from his fellow members upon his continued tenure of office, Mir Montefiore especially congratulating him on behalf of the citizens of Te Awamutu. He expressed the hope that his very valuable services would continue to be available.

The chairman’s honorariulm was discussed, the secretary stating that originally the honorarium was £2OO, reduced at Mr Johnson’s request to £l6O (a 20 per cent reduction), and later reduced to £132. Mr Sutherland moved that the honorarium be increased again to £2OO, holding that the chairman gave a very great deal of time and thought to Power Board affairs. The duties of the office and the progress of the Board fully warranted restoration of the honorarium. After discussion and an amendment it was decided to maintain the honorarium as at present, namely, £132. Mr Johnson expressed his thanks for re-election, as indicative of continued confidence. He added that he did not think the time was opportune to increase the honorarium, as the work was easier now than when the Board was reticulating a large district, arranging for raising and expending loan money, and generally placing the Board’s affairs in their present splendid position. He added that he was especially gratified at Mr Mdntefiore’s remarks, indicating the goodwill of himself and Te Awamutu citizens.

.' The chairman then presented his annual review (published elsewhere in this issue). Mr Sutherland congratulated the chairman upon his full and clear statement of the position, and pointed out some of the variations compared with the previous year. He thought the position was distinctly creditable, and indicated steady progress and sound administration.

Mr Macky commented that the report should be of great interest to consumers generally,. for: it was one in whicK all could feel proud.

ORDINARY MONTHLY MEETING. The May sitting of the Board was held after the completion of the business of the annual meeting. A list of consumers who are considerably in arrear with settlement of their accounts was tabled, the sums outstanding totalling nearly £450. The manager explained the action taken in each instance since last meeting. Thd" Board briefly discussed the subject of providing an interference detector for locating faults that cauSe interference to radio sets. A Christchurch firm wrote regretting that it could not forward its equipment on approval, as asked by the manager. The manager said a small set owned , locally had been tried in some localities, with a 1 degree of success, and though. it was not the ideal it was the best yet tested. Members expressed the opinion that a Set should be procured, and preferred to be guided by the recpmimendation of the engineer, who nad tested various types of equipment. Purchase was left at the discretion of the manager and the engineer. .The statement of finances showed the power fund accouht in credit £2942 15s Bd, the consumers’ finance account in credit £450 Is 6d, and the loan account in debit £319 4s sd. Thus there is a total credit in all accounts of £3073 12s 9d. The amount due by the loan account to the power fund account for amounts advanced up to 31st March, 1934, pending the raising of loan money, is £10,780 2s 6d. Accounts presented and passed for payment totalled £1072 19s 9d. Revenue earned from the sales of cuirrent during March comprised: General lighting and heating, £lll9 Gs Hd; power, £1124 14s sd; penalties and sundries, £39 14s 8d; street lighting, £43 11s 9d; total, £2327 7s sd. For March, 1933, the revenue from the same sourqes totalled £2427 14s 6d. The draft statement of finances (not yet audited) was tabled by the secretary, with the previous year’s figures for comparison, and also the estimates for the present year, which ends on 31st March, 1935. The secretary pointed out two or three items and elaborated them, adding that the definite figures would be shown in the balance-sheet which would be presented at a later meetin£# To a question by Mr Macky, the manager stated that when the loan conversion scheme was finalised all but one of the sinking funds would be absorbed, the one withheld being retained to meet payment of certain loans. Ptretparktion of 'the scheme involved a good deal of work, but he hoped to have it ready for the Ju'ly meeting, even though he would nave a good deal of outdoor business to do in the next few weeks. Mr McArthuV then mentioned some of the difficulties to be sunnounted ♦ and members expressed full accord with the plan outlined. , It was decided to hold a special meeting of the whole of the members on 15th June to consider adoption of the estimates for the current ye dr and one or two other matters concerning finance. The oidma y monthly meeting will be held a week later.