Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1926. HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3039, 22 May 1926, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1926. HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

THE Iloi'owhenua Electric Power Board has just completed its first year of actual business and with practically the whole of its district reticulated. The initial difficulties of the Board were overcome in a manner which reflects the greatest credit on the enterprising spirit and business acumen of the Chairman (Mr. Monk) and those associated with him in the past and is also a fine tribute to the engineering and clerical staff. The Board can now settle down to work on a strictly business basis. As a business concern the interests of consumers as a 'whole must be considered rather than any particular section. As the Chairman rightly pointed out to a deputation, what the Board desired was a satisfied clientele. That objective is t lie correct basis for successful trading. It is not to be expected that the Board has yet had time to get its house in order and for that reason it would have been better to have held over any concessions until a little later period. However, the dairying interest lost no lime in seeking and obtaining a concession without first clearly justifying a claim to preferential treatment. The chairman’s remarks in this connection to the deputation were fair and logical. It must not be forgotten that the general consumers have equal claims on the Board to consideration and will resent undue preference —as all share an equal responsibility —and it is not desirable to see centres of population brought into conflict with industrial concerns. Equity must obtain throughtout. Future concessions to eonsumeis (other than the cutting out of the meter rent) will depend upon strict economy in all departments, with efficient service. Ihe Board’s operations up to the present have given the utmost satisfaction to consumers throughout the district and there is no doubt that its capable administration will maintain the fullest confidence of all concerned in the future.