HYDRO=ELECTRIC POWER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 10

HYDRO=ELECTRIC POWER

THE GOVERNMENT BILL SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION STATE'S RIGHT OF PRE-EMPTION The Electrical Power Boards Bill, described as an Act to provide for .'ho construction or purchase of works for the generation,- transmission, and supply of electric power by electric power boards, was circulated. yesterday morning. The_ first operative clause of the Bill provides for the constitution of electric power districts and outer-areas. "First of all a petition asking for an area to be constituted an electric power district must be presented to the Governor-Gen-" ewl, and before such a petition can be considered it must lie signed by not less then one-fourth of'the ratepayers in the district. If the Governor-General considers' that the petition should be granted he may by proclamation declare the area to be an electric power district. By the same process tlie boundaries of any such district may be altered after it has been constituted. For every district there is to be an electric power board, a body which is to have power to purchase take, hold, or dispose of real and personal property, and which will-be nlected on the system at present in vogue for local bodies. The totil number of members "f s-ujbh (i boaiul mu«t not be. less than five, end must i-ot exceed twelve.

At the'discretion of the Governor-Gen-eral two or more districts may be combined, and the representation of any part, of a combined district may be altered by the Governor-General when any merger of districts is made. As in the case of .ither local bodies, the elections ai'j/to be biennial, and'are to be held at the same time as the elections for other local bodies in the district.

No person other than an elector of n district! is to be'eligible for election to the board in that district. There are certain obvious disqualifications enumerated. An alien, a bankrupt, a person convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment (unless he shall have suffered the penalty),' a person, holding any office in the Rift of the board, and a person interested in contracts made with the bnavd, may not be elected. A member of a board who subsequently comes under the disqualification definitions vacates Ilia seat on the board. Proceeding* fov the removal of an offending member Irani office are to be taken in tiie Masisinite's Court in the district, or in llu' nearest Magistrate's Court to the district, and the proceedings may not by any process be removed to the Supreme Court. The chairman of the board is to be elected by the members at the annual meeting, and he may be paid for his services such an annual amount, not to exceed ,£2OO, as the board may determine. Powers of the Boards, The board is to'determine all questions coming before it, the chairman having a deliberative and a casting vote, and all voting is to be open. No member is to votevon any question in which he or his vbusiness partner is pecuniary interested,- and the penalty for n knowing breach of this rule is :i fine, no: exceeding '.£SO. In such a case it shall be the duty of the audit office to take proceedings against the offender. The boards are to have power to Borrow, but their borrowing operations :ire to be limited by making them all subject to the Local Bodies' Loans Act. Boards will have- rating powers, and will have power to levy special rates to cover deficits on the year's working. .Bates are to be collected by the local bodies on behalf of the board. Boards may establish sinking funds or depreciation funds. The board is not to purchase or construct electric works without the consent of the Governor-General in Council. Boards will be given all the necessary powers to acquire and control water rights, to alter the level or direction of water noiirses <■(> erect plnnt, to purchase power in bulk from the Government, or from a local authority, or from a company authorised to sell it, and to erect transmission lines, and to sell electrical .energy to any persons or groups of persons, including local bodies, wishing .to use it. The board is not to be permitted to supply current beyond the limits of the "outer area" of its district. •

Provision is made for compensation under Hie Public Works AU for any laiid token for works, or for damage to land or property caused by works done.' Right of Pre-emption, The Governor-General is to l.e rntitled at anytime after p.ny works Lave been completed, upon giving twelve months' notice, to'purchase the works at a price to bo determined by valuation, the award to be made by a tribunal of three arbitrators, or any two of them, one arbitrator being 'appointed by the GovernorGeneral, another by the board, find a third by the two arbitrators so appointed. No compensation is to be paid in respect of goodwill. In certain cases compensation may be in the nature of an annual payment over a period of years. When the Governor-General purchases any works, he is not to be entitled to require any perron holding a. debenture to receive any portion of the. principal moneys due to him before the time of maturity of the debenture. If the board is guilty of any inexcusable delay in the carrying- on of the work entrusted to it, the Governor-General may assume control and possession of tho works. But in such a case the board may appeal to tho Supreme Court against'the action of the Government. Under certain cirstnnces the Government mny Tetain possession and control of works taken from the board. Anion? the miscellaneous powers liven to boird* is th.-t of us ngcn* tn manufacturers of electrical' fittings and equipment. ■ °