MEMBER’S CRITICISM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5509, 4 December 1929, Page 2

MEMBER’S CRITICISM.

WORKING OF POWER BOARD. KEEN DISCUSSION. At yesterday’s meeting of the Thames Valley Power Board at Te Aroha Mr J. M. Allen answered the report drawn up the previous month by the finance committee in reply to certain suggestions anent the working of the board which that member had made in October. The report was published in the “Hauraki Plains Gazette” of November 11. Mr Allen considered that the finance committee had rather mistaken the trend of his remarks, and evidently thought he had intended to go further than he had gone. He had made only three suggestions, the first that there might be more cohesion between the office and department staffs ; the second, that the board was not making full use of power off the peak load ; and the third, that the service might be improved. He had suggested that the depot clerks should make it their business to get in touch straight away with Te Aroha, and to let the office know when there was any chance of selling power off the peak load. Also that the engineer or some of his staff might call on consumers perhaps once a year to see that all was in order. He knew from his own experience that a depot clerk had not got into communication. There was no real excuse for not getting at the chance of selling power off the peak load. There was the chance of losing possible consumers. The depot clerks had been told to ring Te Aroha, and the report stated that that had been pressed. He hoped they would be kept up to it. He had made no suggestion about centralisation of control. As for selling power off peak loads to private hospitals in the board’s area, and of selling those institutions water-heaters, he had been under the impression that any power sold off peak load was all clear profit, and that was the impression he gave the Farmers’ Union. He had made no suggestion of a publicity programme, but at the proper time would support it. As an example, if people knew they could shear 1000 sheep for £3 12s a year, more power would be sold. He wished, however, to withdraw his remarks about a reply not being sent to his letter. It was quite clear that his letter had not been received at Te Aroha . At the same time, if the depot clerk had used his telephone that instance would never have occurred. As for suggesting that the engineer call on consumers, he had done that because it was common courtesy on the part of any institution which relied for revenue on what it could sell. He had not suggested that the engineer should argue with every second consumer about the price of “juice.” He meant that if the engineer met a large consumer to drop in and pass the time of day and see if everything was in order. If that policy was adopted a lot of trouble would be obviated. To his the trouble would be obviated. To him the report was disappointing. It dealt more with the past than with the future. He had made the suggestions in an endeavour to serve the ratepayers he represented. If things were bettered, then he would feel that he had not wasted the board’s time or his own.

Upon the conclusion of Mr Allen’s remarks the* chairman, Mr F. M. Strange, said that Mr Allen considered the boai'd had not been doing things as it should. For that reason the committee had gone very carefully into the matters raised, and into other subjects as well, to give a full understanding. This only illustrated the committee’s desire to clear the question up as fully as possible. As for the future, the future policy of the board was in the hands of the board. The suggestion to call on consumers was a difficult,one. It was a question of what could be called a large consumer. Besides, it would take lime to call on them.

The engineer, Mr N. G. McLeod, explained that legally, calls had to be made once, in five years, ( but the board’s representative called more often than that. If a consumer wanted an inspection made he could have it at a charge. If one was called on in the manner suggested by Mi' Allen all would be entitled to the same service.

Mr R. Sprague, the manager, stated that the depot clerk on the occasion quoted by Mr Allen had offered to ring Te Aroha, but the person making the inquiries said he would ring himself.

Mr Allen : From the report I don’t know if my suggestions were of any use or not. If not, I’ll look for some more.

Mr J. Price said that every one of the suggestions had been under the board’s notice for years past. The suggestions boiled down to whether the clerk in charge of the Morrinsville depot had exceeded his responsibilities or had not carried out his instructions. The complaint was more than a year old. It should have been raised at the time. If anything wrong was going on in his area he reported it immediately. He took it as a slur on the man in charge at Morrinsville, when it might have really been the man before him. Personally, if he made a charge he stated where it came from. Mr Arthur, who considered the discussion was developing into a wrangle, said that Mr Alien’s remarks had been misinterpreted by certain newspapers. Te thought Mr Allen should have taken the matter to the engineer or the manager. The questions had been raised eight years ago, and it seemed strange that a new member should criticise. Any new matter, afterj being discussed with the engineer and' manager, could be brought before the board. Mr Anderson said he did not think the matter was being discussed in the spirit it should be. The trouble arose, he thought, through Mr Flatt’s statement that Mr Allen should be allowed time to substantiate his charges. The chairman explained that although it was certainly an unfortunate remark it had been made in a jocular manner, which was understood at the time. Mr H. M. Corbett considered that the board members had taken a wrong

view of Mr Allen’s comments, They had been brought forward with the idea of improving business. The board was a local body, and it was hard to instill business in a local body. It was quite possible to improve the board’s methods—they were not perfect—and suggestions should be welcomed. The chairman objected to Mr Corbett’s remarks that local bodies were foreign to business methods, and maintained that the board was thoroughly business-like. He later objected to Mr Torr saying that the finance committee had been a bit touchy. Various members entered the discussion and stated their views, Mr Flatt defending the Paeroa staff. Eventually the report was adopted.