PLANNING FUTURE ACTIVITIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 170, 18 July 1944, Page 4

PLANNING FUTURE ACTIVITIES

POWER BOARD TO ACT 1 CONTACT TO BE MADE WITH OTHER I.OCAL BODIES. In an endeavour to ascertain the tentative plans lor future activities of every local body and Chamber of Comincrce in the Wanganui-Rang - tikei Electric-power Board’s area, the secretary and lhe engineer of the I Power Board will make contact with * these bodies, inviting them to furnish ! the particulars sought. i A motion to this effect was moved hy Mr. H. C. Jenkins and seconded by Mr. S. R. McCallum, at the monthly meeting of the Power Board yesterday. The motion read: “That, the secretary and engineer be instructed io make contact with every local body and Chamber of Commerce within the board's area inviting them to provide, insofar as they can, tentative plans of their future activities, so that (1) these proposals may be brought into a coordinated whole; (2) a schedule of priorities can be agreed upon by all concerned, and (3) this board’s 4 future policy can be shaped to accord with the requirements of the private enterprises and local authorities within the board’s area of operations.’’ “It must be the responsibility of all local bodies to do the best they can in this direction,” said Mr. McCallum, seconding the motion. “It would be a great help if co-ordinated plans could. Oe prepared and priority lists arranged. Every local body should do all at possibly can in .the rehabilitation ot returning soldiers.” *T am much concerned with the position that is arising concerning the re-establishment of our men in civilian employment.” said Mr. Jenkins, “and I think that steps should be taken now to co-ordinate the plans of the private firms and local bodies of this district. I desire to initiate a discussions on this subject with a view to the matter being canvassed by members of this board and also to have the advantage of hearing the views of the board’s officers. “As I see it. the first aim should be to stimulate private employment as much as possible and to schedule public works of various kinds so that the programmes of lhe local bodies can be co-ordinatea. If this is done then there is a prospect of employment remaining constant in the district, public development taking un slack in industrial employment as that develops. Some public work will have to be undertaken in order to enable industry to expand its functions and take on more men. In this work of primary importance the supply of electric power must take a high priority, and it would appear that it would be very helpful to our engineer if he could be supplied even with a tentative picture of the work that will be required to be undertaken immediately the rehabilitation effort is commenced. “It appears to me, too, that this board might be the co-ordinating agent for all of the local bodies in the board’s area. Unless there are strong reasons for not doing so, I desire to move that the secretary and. the engineer be instructed to make contact with the other local bodies concerned and the Chambers of Commerce with a view to their future plans being harmonised as much as possible.” Mr. F. Furnell (chairman): “If ue can do anything to help in this direction we should do so. We have already made a move in this matter with’the board’s forward buying plan. - and those that have taken advantage of it. will have priority.” The motion was carried.