Local Power Board In Amalgamation Survey

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31082, 10 June 1966, Page 10

Local Power Board In Amalgamation Survey

Members of a special committee of the Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association investigating the amalgamation and reorganisation of

the industry started a twoday visit to the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board’s district yesterday. The committee, which is headed by the association’s chairman (Mr A. W. Gooder), is making a pilot survey in an effort to assemble information that will avoid Government compulsion on amalgation.

The Minister of Electricity (Mr Shand) said recently that unless supply authorities could settle their differences Parliament would take the matter out of their hands. Mr Gooder described the visit to the Central Canterbury board's area as a factfinding mission which should prove helpful. The board was a good and recent example of voluntary amalgamation as it was formed from the areas of the former Springs-Ellesmere, Banks Peninsula and Malvern boards. “We want to find out what has happened in practice,” said Mr Gooder. “We want to find out the advantages and the disadvantages.” The committee has already examined nine North Island authorities and will later take a. look at the activities of the Egmont board, which was formed by amalgamation of the South Taranaki and Opunake boards.