ELECTRIC ENERGY

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 131, 28 May 1932, Page 8

ELECTRIC ENERGY

AS OTHERS SEE IT THE HOROWHENUA BOARD The chairman of the prosperous Horowhnua Power Board (Mr G. A. Monk, a leading farmer) at the recent annual meeting of that board, which, has a lighting rate of Id per unit, referred to the surplus, and said that he had had the feeling some years ago, when things were fairly good, that by way of inducing people in outlying parts to come in on the system, the Board might probably use some of the surplus by remitting to them a portion of the cost of heavy service lines or mains where it wanted a guarantee. The Board reduced the guarantee from 18 to 16 per cent. He did not think that the concession which he had in mind would be a sound policy to-day; but that the Board should conserve what it had already got, and assist those who wore on its mains and those, who were in reasonable distance to come on. New business would not come easily. People who,, in good times, would have put their hands in their pockets, would say to-day, “We will have to wait.” Suggested Reduction

The question that would have to be decided by the Board was one witli respect to some reductions or remissions of charges. Over a period of years it had given remissions in regard to lighting, dairying, and small motors; but there was a class of consumers that had not had any help—he referred firstly to street lighting. That was one of the blatters to which the committee woull have to give consideration, as to whether some reduction could be made in tho charge.

The question had been raised of commiinity lighting charges (the chairman added). The business people were very hard hit to-day, and this oonrd should endeavour, as far as was in its means, to help them. In the first place ho had thought that tho Board should do in it the number of lights, but ho found that very few of tho subscribers had more than one light. Another method would be for the Board to give a remission where lights had been in existence over a period of years and had probably earned their capital cost. However, one would probably find that so few had come on recently that it would be better to deal with the lot.

The dairy factory rate had always been a very unsatisfactory one. He did not know whether it had been a particularly payable rate to the Board, but unfortunately for the Board, it was necessary to have heat in the factories, and. electricity had had to be a competitor against what had been a necessity to the factories. Some consideration should now bo given to placing the dairy companies on as near a basis as possible to other power users.