POWER FROM STANDBY PLANTS

Chronicle (Levin), 28 September 1946, Page 4

POWER FROM STANDBY PLANTS

1 — Press Association

NEED URGED ON GOVERNMENT

By Telegraph

CHRIRTCHURCH, Rop.t. 27. "Tdiat the executive urge 011 the Government the advisability of granting licences to local bodies or powor boards for the erection of geuerathig plants at points where conditions warrant for the purpose of generating electricity by auy eeonomical methods, it being the opinion of many that concentration of generating plants on one waterway only is not in the best interests of the community, " was the remit from the Tauranga Electrie Lower Board earried at yesterday's conference of the Electrie Lower Boards and Hupply Authorities Association. Mr. W. Wilson (Tauranga) discussed a local projeet for which capital could be raised. Maraetai was a nasty place for "shakes," and if a fault developed and the works earried away damage would be done to the Arapuni and Karapiro stations, which. might be put out of aetion for years, he said. The shortage of power in the North Island was throttling industry. Lower supplv was a national service, and it should, pay dividends in every way by fostering industry and giving satisfactiou to householders. Supporting the remit, Mr. L. Leaee (Bay of Islands) said that during the whole period of the drought in the Waikato the rainfall in his district was tremendous. Plants spread round the country would have the eft'ect of reducing shortages. The Government said that no board could generate its own power, but he could see no dift'erence in generation by a board or the Government. No private individual " would make a cent out of it. People would benefit from plants which could be taken over by the Government at any time for the benefit of the national power system. It was decided, on a remit from the Auckland board, to place before the Government the necessity for the installation at the earliest possible moment of a suitable thermal standby and emergency plant of sufficient capacity to supplement hydro-electric de\-elop-ment in North Auckland. The board 's opinion that the inadequate amouut of standby plant in relation to the State generating plant available was supported by the North Canterbury board. A remit urging the Government to discontinue levying saies tax 011 electrical retieulation equipnient and essential electrie appliances was earried. The Manawatu-Oroua board proposed that boards should be exempt from the Fair Rents Act, in that where liouses were provided for employees, possession should be given when the employee ceased to be employed by the board. The remit was adopted after legal advice had been given that the relationship of tenant and landloyd. began if the emplo,yee remained in the house a day after his employment terminated.