CHAIRMAN RE-ELECTED

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 130, 27 May 1932, Page 5

CHAIRMAN RE-ELECTED

C.H.B. Electric Power Board MR. A. C. RUSSELL TO PRESIDE ' , k -Ay, * ' < ■’ > DIFFICULT YEAR PROPHESIED Mr. F. J. Witherow moved that Mr A. C. Russell be reappointed chairman. “I don’t think we could have a better man for the position,” he said. Mr. Kerr seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Responding, Mr. Russell said that the coming year was going to be a difficult one, with a great deal of anxious work for the Board. “I feel, however, that with the help of the staff and the Board, I’m strong enough to tackle it,” he continued. “Although we represent local bodies, we must remember that our first business is to consider the interests of the Board,” he said, expressing the hope that nothing would be done to jeopardise its present satisfactory financial position. Mr. W. H. Rathbone, Deputy On the motion of Mr. Witherow, seconded by Mr. C. Pattison, Mr. W. H. Rathbone was re-elected deputy chairman. Mr. Rathbone endorsed the remarks of the chairman regarding the difficulties to be faced, and expressed the opinion that no two local bodies would have a greater up-hill fight than the Hospital Board and the Power Board. In conclusion, Mr. Rathbone expressed the hope that better times were ahead. Finance Committee Mr. A. W. S. Longley moved that the finance committee should consist of every member of the Board. Mr. R. A. Fraser seconded the motion. It was explained that no exception was taken to any action of the former finance committee. It wms considered, however, that it was wrong for the finance committee to comprise the majority of the Board, as in such a case the position of the rest of the members was anomalous. Mr. F J. Witherow moved an amendment that, as in the past, the committee consist of five members, representing each constituent body. Mr. J. A. Kerr seconded the amendment. It was explained by Mr. W. H. Rathbone, in support of the amendment, that the object of having five members was to give representation to each of the local bodies'represented on the Board. He strongly supported the principle at present in operation, as being the. most effective and economical. Members of the finance committee did not always vote alike at board meetings, he pointed out.

Mr. A. C. Holms said that the effect of reducing the finance committee would be that one of the local bodies would feel that it was being disfranchised. The Waipukurau Borough Council for instance had approximately one-third of the consumers and usually provided about the same ratio of revenue, yet, like the Waipawa Borough, had only one representative. If either of the borough representatives were rejected they would doubtless feel that they had a grievance and so would anyone of the three county bodies, particularly the two with three representatives, if one. were not elected. He pointed to the recent sweeping reform in the Manawatu power area, whereby they had adopted finance committee representation to each body. Mr. Witherow pointed out that, if the whole Board were included in the finance committee, travelling expenses would be considerably increased.

In opposition to this point of view, Mr. Fraser suggested that the meeting of the finance committee should be held on the same day as the monthly meeting. This would obviate the difficulty raised by Mr. Witherow.

Mr. W. H. Rathbone asked what would be done about business requiring attention between meetings. Mr. Longley: If there were urgent necessity a meeting of the committee could be called! The amendment was carried, by five votes to three. The former members of the committee were re-elected as follows: — Messrs. A. C: Russell (chairman), C Pattison, W. H. Rathbone, A. C. Holms, and F. J. Witherow.