ELECTRIC POWER FOR SEASIDE RESORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2712, 25 March 1924, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER FOR SEASIDE RESORT.

COMMITTEE TO WAIT ON POWER BOARD.

Al yesterday’s meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board, Mr E. R. B. Holben brought up the question of electric light for the local seaside, lie said he wanted to see the current supplied to the beach but the engineer to the Horowhenua Electric Power Board had informed him that they were not going to lay the wires to the beach as there was not, sufficient inducement to warrant the expense. He had personally approached several section holders and they knew nothing about the matter. They had not been asked if they would connect up if the current was supplied. All that had been done by the Power Board by way of canvass for consumers at the beach was to leave a circular at each house in occupation. Many beach cottage-owners were disappointed and perturbed at the fact that the current was not going to be supplied. He had written to the secretary of the Power Board about the matter and in reply had received a letter stating that the canvasser had endeavoured to get sufficient consumers at the beach to warrant the installation hut had not been successful. Mr C. Whitehead, of the Beach Improvement Society, had called on the secretary of the Power Board, and had been informed that ,€2OO per annum was required by the Board before it was prepared to go to the expense of erecting transmission lines to the locality, Mr Holben proposed that the Harbour Board secretary ascertain if the Harbour Board Act would allow the Board to guarantee the £2OO required. The secretary could then get signatures from section-hold-ers to allow the property-holders to be rated. The Board could give the guarantee and only those who guaranteed the amount be allowed t i connect up with the current. He was sure once the light was at the beach all the residents would come into line. This method would save the Power Board a great deal of trouble. The Board would only be committed for £2OO and within the lirst year he predicted that fifty per cent, of the section-holders would connect up, thus reducing the amount by £IOO. The cost would be .30/- per year. The Chairman (Mr .T. Linklater, M.P.) said he considered it was the Horowhenua Electric Power Boa i d’s duty to obtain signatures. He considered they would ho forthcoming if a canvasser went round and interviewed house-holders. The Board had enough to do without doing the Power Board’s work. He was sure there had been a misunderstanding. No business Board would leave out 100 or so consumers. The matter needed threshing out. Mr Holben consented to withdraw his proposal and it was decided that a committee consisting of the Chairman and Messrs Rimmer and Holben wait on the Horowhenua Power Board at its next meeting to discuss (lie matter.