POWER TO BOROUGHS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4936, 8 February 1926, Page 2

POWER TO BOROUGHS.

BULK SUPPLY CHARGES. BOARD SUGGESTS AN INCREASE. Recently Mr J. Price suggested to the Thames Valley Electric Power Board that it should ask the Te Aroha and Thames boroughs* to dispose of their power plants to the board, so that the board could supply the consumers in these boroughs direct instead of selling the power in bulk to the .borough councils, which fe- the system operating at present.. A special meeting of the board was held on Monday, and the following recommendations were submitted to the ordinary meeting on Tuesday: “The subject of charge be reviewed after March 31, 1926.

“If the board’s revenue does not warrant any reduction in charges to the board’s ordinary consumers, an increase be made in the charge for bulk supply to Thames and Te Aroha boroughs.

“That the matter of asking the boroughs to dispose of their installations to the board be left in abeyance for six months.” Mr Price moved that the board give notice to the two boroughs in question that the conditions* of agreement would expire six months from that date. Mr Arthur said that the motion would give the boroughs' no time tp make arrangements for supply. Some definite offer should be made. Mr Strange, supporting Mr Arthur, considered that the boroughs should be entitled to know what the board’s offer would be to .them. Mr Flatt seconded .the motion. Mr Strange moved an amendment that the board notify the boroughs of the termination of tjhe agreement when an alteration is made in the j charges at the end of the financial year. Mr Arthur seconded the amendment The chairman said that the agreement with the boroughs provided for an increase in the charges if the Public Works rate was increased. The amendment was carried. Messrs Price and Flatt being the only objectors. Mr Arthur considered that reports of the board’s procedure in committee at previous meetings dealing with the matter should be m.ade public. At present he was unable to discuss the matter with the council. Mr Price’s original* suggestions to the board had already been made public, and Mr Price’s and the engirfeer’s reports should now become public, property. It was concerning public money, and the public should know. He Sjaid that Mr McLeod had contradicted all Mr Price’s statements and altered the position entirely. Mr Price said Mr Arthur was not a representative of the borough council, but of the ratepayers, and the borough council had no more right to the information than the ratepayers. The chairman said he was in a simialr position to Mr Arthur, but he could give sufficient information concerning the affair without divulging the reports, which were confidential*. Mr Arthur: I don’t see how you. can approach your borough council without giving them facts and figures that are confidential. Mr Howie said that it would be a grave precedent if the subject matter; of the meeting in committee were now to be divulged. Mr Strange, though at the time opposed to going into committee, did hot see how. the reports taken in committee could now. be made public. The chairman said that after the negotiations were concluded he saw no reason why the reports* should not be made public, but until then they should remain confidential. The discussion then concluded, no motion being put to the meeting.