POWER BOARD FUTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18951, 22 May 1933, Page 9

POWER BOARD FUTURE.

OPINION OF HUTT CHAIRMAN

DAY OF USEFULNESS OVER.

The opinion that tne nay of usefulness of power boards was over and that the whole system required reorganisation was expressed by the retiring chairman of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, Mr S. Blackley. The board, however, could not commit suicide alone; company and a lead from the proper quarter wore needed.

"The one great weakness in the power board system lies 1n tho fact that there is no directive head to the whole organisation,” said Mr Blackley. “The Public Works Department does not, and cannot, for various reasons, assume that function. • No two power boards have the same policy which is sometimes dominated by Dm manager, engineer, secretary, or members. One lias only to examine Hie multitude of rate schedules for supply issued by the 40 power boards to realise that no such thing exists as a well-organised and efficient national system of electricity distribution.

“When one reads of power boards and borough councils with practically • lie same ratepayers entering upon lawsuits costing thousands of pounds to determine which of them shall supply electricity to a small contiguous

area, or when we hear of cliques off power boards, urged toy paroohial sentiment, seriously dismissing the possibility of: removing power board offices, etc., from one town to another, it is surely time some change should' be made to prevent such scandalous waste of ratepayers’ money,” con-« 'eluded Mr Blackloy.