MORE POWER NEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 56, 3 September 1926, Page 9

MORE POWER NEEDED

HUTT VALLEY REQUIREMENTS NEW AGREEMENT WITH DEPARTMENT. The Hutt Valley Electric Power Board is of the opinion that tho current it ha 3 guaranteed to take, and which the Public Works Department has guaranteed to supply during the next few years, will not be-sufficient to meet its rapidly growing needs, and it has been negotiating with the Department for an increased supply, with, of course, an increased liability on the board for > payments. The board, at its meeting yesterday, decided, on the report of its executive committee, to sign the new agreement, the only member dissenting being Mr. A. W. Press, who considered that the board should not accept the increased liability. The report of the executive follows. The chairman (Mr. A. J. M' Curdy) explained, however, that since the drafting of the report the Public Works Department had agreed to amend tho provision by reducing the guaranteed payment by the board for the year 1929-30 to ' £20,000 in place of £24,400. "The agreement forwarded by the Public Works Department for execution by the board, which was referred to the executive at last meeting, was considered. The board has already guaranteed the following payments for 2000 k.v.a. under Toe first agreement, which runs from Ist April, 1925:— Firßtyear, £3280; second year, £6800; 1927-28, £10,000; 1928-29,, £13,200; 1929-30, £16,400.. "In consideration of a further 1000 k.v.a. to be supplied when power from Waikaremoana is available the Government requires the agreement under consideration executed, to date from 31st March, 1927, and to provide for the fol-. lowing payments by the board: —1927----28, £10,000; 1928-29, £13,20u; 1929----30, £24,400; 1930-31, £24,400; 1931----,32, £24,400. The eld. agreement will therefore stand until .the Waikaremoana power is ready. The payments required for 1929-30, 1930-31, and 1931----32 under tho new agreement represent the minimum payments to be made if the power is available on Ist April, 1929, with a proportionate amount as between £16,000 and £24,400 should the extra power come on between Ist April and 31st March in either year. " The agreement docs not provide for any additional payment should Waikaremoana. power come on prior to lsfc April, 1929. Neither would the board, according to the agreement, be called upon to pay more than £16,400 for the year 1929-30 if the power was not available until April, 1930. "After giving the matter consideration tho'committee decided to approach the Department and endeavour to have the guaranteed payments altered to graduate from £20,000 to £24,400."