ELECTRIC COOKING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4806, 4 February 1925, Page 2

ELECTRIC COOKING.

CATERING FOR WAGE EARNERS. BOARD TAKES ACTION. At yesterday’s meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board at Te Aroha the chairman (Mr F. H. Claxton) referred to the utilisation of electricity between the peak loads, and he suggested, that people should be encouraged to use electricity for cooking. It was necessary for the board to push the project, and he suggested that the board. should undertake the risk of buying a stove and putting it in for a consumer, the consumer to be given the right to pay for the stove over a period of yeans. He had been unable .to learn of any firm that was taking adequate steps _ to popularise electricity for cooking, and he recommended that the board forthwith purchase fifty stoves and inrial them. As an example the chairman quoted a stove costing £25, which would be supplied at that price, plus £5 installation charges. The method of repayment would be £3 15s a year off the capital out lay, plus £1 19s a year representing 6% per cent, interest over a term of eight years. The total cost over that period for the use of the istove would work out at about 9s 6d a month. A consumer Would have the right to pay off the balance at any time within the eight years.; About flftteii years would be the life of an average stove. In answer to Mr Flatt the chair-> man said that the question of an advance payment of .the first year’s capita.! and interest was not of great importance, so long as guaranteed repayments were given. Mr Pohlen said he thought the recommendation was a very good one, but lie anticipated that a difficulty won).arise in that a. great deal of cooking would be done when the peak load was on. The chairman said he believed that . the greatest amount of cooking would be dene near midday, when there was ample current available. Mr N. G. McLeod, the engineer, said tnat one hundred stoves would actually require about 500 kilowatts, but had to be considered that in cooking the full heat would only be required for about twenty minutes, and /hen it would case off to probably about 50 kilowatts. In any ease, it was highly improbable that the whole system would be- seriously affected, and ne did not anticipate any necessity to insta! extra transformers. Fifty electric. stoves spread over the whole of the board’s area would make little difference. Mr J. Price objected to the recommendation on the grounds that an unfair advantage would be given te a portion of the consumers. He thought that allowing for depreciation of the stover, and the extra administration expenses in connection with the project it would not be a paying proposi- , tian. He doubted if there was sufficient power available at present without going to considerable heavy -expense. There appeared to be a general cry throughout the district that the power for motors was insufficient. Mr Arthur said he was* not opposed to the suggestion, but he did not see how the board was in a position to carry it through (successfully. He. could not see why more favourable terms should be given to a person requiring a stove over a person requiring a motor. The whole scheme was an experiment, and the boarl was not justified in financing an experiment. He wished to condemn the method suggested for carrying out tne scheme, but he was favourable to the use of stoves for cooking. Mr F. ■ M. Strange, in moving the adoption of the recommendation, said he considered that the experiment' was in the interests- of the beard. He thought that the dlvensity factor would govern the peak loads and obviate the expense of extra transformers. The board should earnestly consider building up its load„between the ; peak hours. He failed to see how a loss could be made if fifty sieves were installed, and then the whole matter could again be reviewed. Air F. E. Flatt strongly supported. He said the whole, outlay on the experiment was £lOOO, and of that sum £250 would be repaid during the first twelve months. He had made inquir- ■ ies, and Was of the opinion that many people would be only too glad to take the stoves and pay for them. A bogey had been raised about deterioration of stoves under the hire purchase system. and contended that if a stove became damaged the board’s mechanics should be able to effect repairs. * Mr W. E. G. Willy was not opposed to the scheme, but he thought eight years was too long a term. Tn answer to Mr Price Mr McLeod said that working on a 50-stove basfe. he could not see how any loss to-the board would result. In answer to Mr Willy the chairman said that the distribution of the fifty stoves would be in the hands of the manager. 3 . Mr McCormick favoured the experiment, and said that even supposing new transformers were needed, the present transformers could be used on smaller lines in the future. The chairman tsaid that the should be prepared to bring electric cooking within the reach of the.average wage-earner. He then 2welt at length on the various arguments advanced by the members, and said' it would be unreasonable to suggest that a '.lumber of stoves would be on the same line, and very few lineg would require extra expense. Even supposing that each line the stoves were on required extra expense, the board would show a profit of £lOO. After further discussion Mr Willy moved that the number of years be not exceeding six. Mr J. B. Thomas seconded. i Mr Flatt,moved an amendment thatj| the term be eight years. ' When the matter was put to the vote the amendment was carried, the voting being as follows: For the k amendment, Messrs Claxton, McCormick, Howie, Strange, Matt, Grace; against, Messrs Price, Thomas/ 5 . Arthur, Pohlen, and Willy.- .> .