MORE POWER FOR RURAL AREAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 263, 7 November 1945, Page 4

MORE POWER FOR RURAL AREAS

BILL TO BE BROUGHT DOWN

LEVY ON SUPPLY AUTHORITIES TO ASSIST CONSUMERS. (P.A). Parliament Bldgs., Nov. 6. In the House of Representatives today Mr. E. B. Corbett (Opp., Egmont) asked the Minister of Works whether, in view of the widespread enquiry in country districts, and to enable local bodies to plan accordingly, the Minister would issue a statement of his intentions towards the implementation of the proposal of Government and power board co-operation to complete the reticulation of remote rural areas. Mr. Corbett asked if legislative action

would be taken this session to enable the suggested plans to be made effective at an early date. The Minister, Mr. Semple, replied that several conferences had taken place with the executive of the Power Boards’ Association, and it was agreed that legislation would be introduced this session to give effect to the scheme which had been developed by the committee of the association in conjunction with the Minister’s technical officers. The scheme proposed to make a levy of one quarter of one per cent, on the revenue of all power supply authorities, including the hydro-electric branch of the Government. The revenue so derived would he used to assist consumers beyond the reach of the present reticulation to give the guarantees of revenue which were required by the supply authorities to ensure that loan moneys would be made available to them for rtiral reticulation. Mr. Semple Said the Bdl was in the hands of the law draftsmen and he hoped to bring it down this session after it had been approved by the Government - .