POWER DISTRIBUTION

Chronicle (Levin), 19 September 1946, Page 4

POWER DISTRIBUTION

HOROWHENUA BOARD MEETS REVENUE SHOWS INCREASE: The monthly meeting- of1 the t Horowhenua Elect^xc Power . Poard was held at Levin yesterday* morning, when there were present: Messrs. G. A. Monk- (ohairman) T. G. Vincent, C. & K.eedwefl, R. R. Lind, F. W. Yickerman, n: O. Hornblow, J. H, P. Liggins- and General R. Young. Also present .- were Messrs. R. A. Frederikson (mahgg-ing-secretary) and J. F.; .Br|5e (engineer) . Leave of absence \5(as granted Mr. W. E. Harber..-- */> Increase of Salaries ; . . A communication was receiyed from the Director- of Stabi'lijsatx^h, intimating that concurrence^ 'cd'flld not be given to an applicatiorii by the board to raise the salary> of some of its long service employees to bring them into line whh; competitive rates paid by other boards co officers of similar standing. In commenting on the communication, the chairman said that-.it was recognised that the department had a job to do-, and had- to keep a close watch upon salaries being unduly raised. In raising.the salaries of some employees as wds proposed, the board was only carrying out a long established practice of recognising long. and faithful service. The board was surely the best judge of the value of its employees, and could not be charged with paying big salaries prematurely. Its practice had been to gradually recognise good servibe and increase emoluments as ;-4t deemed it appropriate to do so.. He thought the Director of Stabilisation should be informed that the board was only carrying out a longestablished practice. The increases had been paid and he thought they should be continued. Mr. Keedwell commented tbat stabilisation existed only' in name. The Government had "blown it" themselves. .v'' The board agreed to reply to tiie communication along the lines .bf the remarks made by the chairman. : . Financial Position The managing-secretary reviewed the finanees of the board. for tjhe first five months of the financial year ended August 31, showhig. that the revenue had increased .by £2303 over the same period of last year. . ; In commenting on the increase, the chairman said it emphasised one important point insofar as the increase in finance was deriyed from a commensurate increase in new connections. That such would transpire had been maintained by the board throughout th.e perijOd when war- time restrictions had precluded the expansion of activity. New Connections The engineer reported that durr ing the month from August 16. to September 6, thirteen new consumers and 41 extensions had been connected, comprising 11 lighting and heating installations, 12 ranges, 20 waterheaters, two. milking motors, three separator motbrs and eight industrial motors. ,