Power For Sub-Division Is Big Problem

Chronicle (Levin), 16 June 1949, Page 4

Power For Sub-Division Is Big Problem

The board would in future have to insist on the payment of the 10 per cent. revenue guarantee- before , authorising any work on line reticulation or extension,, said the chairman of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board, . Mr. T. G. Vin;ent., when speaking at the monthly meeting of the board, held in Levin yesterday. People were bmlding, in many cases all electric houses, in new . sub-divisions and then demanding immediate connection with the board's power lines, and presentLng petitions to the hoard and to Parliament. The chairman said. that any person subdividing had some measure of responsibOty in the matter, and the board should insist that the 10 pef cent. be first obtained. It was being done in other cases such as at Hokio Beach, where the residents had had to waii years and were still waiting for some one to sign the guarantee. / "Even in the case of a line to Bob Semple's house we insisted on a guarantee," continued Mr. Vincent. Mr. F. W. Vickerman said that the board should go further and watch when a sub-division took place and advise the sub-dividers that even with the guarantee power could -not be put through at pny given date. It was still the old story of "if and when" — "if labour was availab'e and 'when materials came to han'd." Major-General R. Young said that he thought the people who were prospective purchasers should also be told. The board might then get over its difficulties with all the applications i't was receiving. • Mr. Vincent said the trouble was that the board did not know about the sub-divisions until the people actually started building and wired the houses. The people went in in good faith, expecting the board to link their houses up right away. He thought that some obligation should be placed on the vendor. Some of the difflcu'ties confronting the board were mentioned as the loss of four of its workmen last month and the urgent priority of the Mangahao to Levin line.