ELECTRICAL SUPPLY

Evening Star, Issue 22451, 23 September 1936, Page 2

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY

WEDGE BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL INTERESTS TOO MANY POWER BOARDS [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 22. When Mr Hodgens (Palmerston forth) spoke on the Public Works statement in the House to-night, ho Tound an alert audience, apparently well informed on the recent municipal happenings. The result was a series of amusing interjections. Mr Hodgens explained that lie was particularly interested in the hydroelectric side of the department’s operations, for he had been associated with tlie matter either as a power board member or a city councillor lor 17 years. Mr Moncur: Are you still there 7 Mr Hodgens: Yes, 1 am still there. I was deputy-mavor up till a week ago. (Laughter.) I 'was chairman of the Electricity Committee up to about the same date. A Member: There was an inquiry.

Mr Hodgens: Yes. Mr Moncur: And the sparks flew. (Laughter.) , , The member for Palmerston admitted with a smile that he was dumped, but this did not dispose of the fact that when he had been so long associated with the distribution of electrical energy he was intensely interested, and wished to see the Minister evolve a scheme whereby town and country would be drawn together, net driven apart. There was abundant evidence that previous Ministers of Works had driven a wedge between urban and rural interests, and the relationship between power boards and supply authorities had for some unearthly reason been strained by Cabinet 'Ministers. Mr Thorn: Ex-Ministers. Mr Hodgens concurred, adding that he was sorry there had not been a Minister of ‘Works in the past who showed the same determination as Mr Semple in stopping work at Waikaromoana, because he was not satisfied it was a sufficiently safe proposal. The electricity supply was almost entirely in public hands in the Dominion, and the Minister should consider some drastic alteration in the method of control in the interests of local body sup- - ply authorities. The State had 13 millions invested, and the local bodies 18 millions, and there was no reason why the supply authorities and the State should not work conjointly in the interests of the people. There had been strained relationships owing to lack of uniformity in the rates for supply. The first thing the Government should do was to see that there was a uniform charge per kilowatt throughout New Zealand, and make provision that those with stand-by plants who were not giving a proper load factor should pay a varying charge according to their demand on the State supply. The. Minister of Works, Mr Semple, in a general reply to the discussion, stated that it was his intention during the recess to concentrate on an investigation of the electrical supply system. There was a multiplicity of power boards, some of which were needed in the early stages of development, but which had outlived their usefulness. He hoped to bring down the cost of electricity and make it available in the remotest parts of the country. Charges to the ordinary consumer in England were twice as dear as in New Zealand, while in Canada they were 50 per cent, higher, although the rate to the commercial consumer in England was lower.