POWER BOARD'S TRADING.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19178, 8 December 1927, Page 9

POWER BOARD'S TRADING.

PROTEST BY ELECTRICAL FIRMS

(fbess association teleobam.)

GISBORNE, Docember 7.

Chamber of Commerce to-day dis* cussed a protest from the Poverty Bay Electrical Traders' Association against the Poverty ; Bay Power Board trading in electrical appliances. Mr W. J. Sinclair, on behalf of the traders, described the principle as iniquitous, and the competition as unfair and unjust, and not in keeping with the spirit of the provision in the Act as interpreted by the late Mr Massey. He added that the traders had not made profits in the past ten years, and a continuance of this policy would in* evitably mean that the traders would be forced out of business. The chairman of the Power Board (Mr P. B. Ball) defended the Board's policy, declaring that it was impossible to separate trading from selling current, and that trading was the only efficient means of creating a demand. After a lengthy discussion the Chamber passed a resolution as follows t—» "That this Chamber is of opinion that no public body should be permitted to enter into opposition in any class of business with private persona or com* panies unless it can be shown clearly and definitely that the private persons or companies are unable to give the public efficient servico at a reasonable cost." It Was decided to send the resolution as a remit to the Associated Chambers of Commerce.