BOWER SUPPLY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 8

BOWER SUPPLY

AMALGAMATION DISCUSSED AT TIMARU MORE INFORMATION AWAITED "It looks as though they are trying to get us all in one association. It is just a question whether it will be beneficial to the power boards," said the acting-chairman of the South Canterbury Electric Power Board (Mr K. Mackenzie) at a meeting of that body yesterday, when its engineer (Mr G. W. Morrison) and secretary (Mr W. A. Foden) submitted' a report dealing with an amalgamation scheme considered at the recent conference of power boards in Wellington last week. Messrs Morrison and Foden reported that the clauses relating to* amalgamation were as follows:

1. "That the municipal electric supply authorities and power boards have representation on the executive comof the Power Boards Association indirect proportion to the voting power on their present basis."

2. "That the name of the Electric Power Boaids and Supply Authorities Association be' altered to 'The New Zealand.Electricity Suppliers Association.' " 3. "That all members of the association agree that they will not in any way interfere with the rights or powers of any other member of the association in the matter of electricity supply, and will supply only in their respective areas, except under the terms of an agreement to be mutually arranged." r 4. "That the organisation of the Municipal Association.be kept intact, merely to protect the interests or the municipalities alone, and that all members be urged to join the main association."

Clauses 1, 2 and 4 were agreed to, but No. 3 was strongly opposed by nine power boards, giving supply to municipal authorities—seven in the North Island and two in the South Island, The nine boards were instructed to appoint two representatives to meet two representatives of the municipal authorities, the representatives to meet the executive of the association with concrete proposals about clause 3 and the disputes for bulk supply charges, within six weeks. >

The report added that, touching .disputes, it was proposed that when the power board and municipal supply authority failed to agree to a price for bulk supply, each side should appoint two arbitrators who in turn would appoint an impartial chairman to settle the dispute. The board was asked either to agree to the proposal or to reject it and to advise its representatives, the chairman of the Taranaki and the secretary of the Hawke's Bay Boards, accordingly. "I do not see that we would be better off under this proposal than we are at present," said the actingchairman, adding that in the event of a dispute the boards now had the right to use the Public Works Department to effect a settlement. It was decided to hold the question over pending the receipt of further particulars by letter.