STREET LIGHTING

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 99, 21 April 1933, Page 5

STREET LIGHTING

Cost To the Ratepayers BOROUGHS WANT REDUCTION CONSIDERATION OF BOARD Applications for a reduction in the annual charge for street lighting were received by the Central Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board to-day from the Waipukurau and Waipawa borough councils. “The annual charge for street lighting, amounting to £3BB 9s, is collected by way of rate,’’ said the Waipukurau Town Clerk in his letter “and, as is no doubt well-known by your board, the burden of rates bears very heavily on the ratepayers at the present time. The council has been and is desirous of doing everything possible to relieve this burden.

“It is furthermore pointed out that the “Urban Farm Lands Rating Act, 1932,” which will operate in the borough, will have the effect of offsetting any benefit that otherwise might accrue to the borough by virtue of the “Local Authorities Interest Reduction Act, 1932-33.” “My council assumes that your board will receive considerable benefit under the last mentioned act, and from other economies effected, and under the circumstances my council asks that part of such benefit should be passed on to the ratepayers by way of the suggested reduction for street lighting. “My council suggests that a reduction of 25 per cent in such charges might be a reasonable one, and would appreciate your board giving this application earnest and favourable consideration.” A similar letter was received from the Waipawa Borough Council. The chairman (Mr A. C. Russell) moved that the applications be referred to the finance committee for consideration and report. Seconding the motion, Mr F. J. Witherow said that rumours were going about that there was going to he a general reduction, “and we can't blarne the boroughs for trying to make their alley good,” he said. Mr A. C. Holms expressed the hope that the applications would receive favourable consideration and instanced several other power’ areas where a reduction had already been made in a similar connection. Mr R. A. Fraser asked'that figures should be submitted to show the ratio of profit on street lighting, and this was agreed to. Mr Holms pointed out that there had been no revision of the street lighting scale of* charges since the board came into active operation in 1925. Mr W. H. Rathbone: I take it that any recommendation for a reduction will refer to the street lighting over the whole of the board’s area, including the counties. Mr Holms: Hear, hear. The board agreed that this would be the case, and the motion was carried.