INCREASE IN USE OF ELECTRICITY

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4545, 18 December 1930, Page 2

INCREASE IN USE OF ELECTRICITY

IN HOROWHENUA DISTRICT. ... In his report to the Horowhenua Power Board on Tuesday, the treasurer (Mr. F. J. Ramsay) gave a statement of the revenue earned from the sale of electricity for eight months of the financial viear to November 30th, and a. comparison with the corresponding period of last year. The figures were as under: — 1930 1929 Lighting £11,285 £10,407 Heating -5,032 4,700 Power 7,003 8,,000 Water-heating 2,850 2,303 Street Lighting 080 007 *£27,450 £20,083 Less discount allowed on lighting 1,228 Nett Sales £20,222 £20,083 The report stated: “The above statement indicates that there has rot been any slackening-off in sales, and that satisfactory progress is being maintained. Of course, with increasing capital •expenditure, more revenue should follow, although the increased revenue is not entirely due to , revenue from new lines. The constant in'crease each month in new consumers and additions to installations connected To existing mains and not requiring further capital outlay, to the Board, must account, very largely, for the consistent increase in sales. On other aspects of the financial position, the treasurer reported as follows: “Loan Capital.—Up to and including the expenditure authorised at last meeting, the position is as follows: —Loans' raised, £204,400, plus advances from revenue account £4,800, making the total at this dale £209,200. Of this sum there remained. £973 as the unexpended balance of loan moneys in hand, with a further £IO,OOO to uplift from the Government Life Insurance Commissioner in sums p£ £SOOO on December Ist, 1930, and March Ist, 1931. Out of this, advances, from revenue account (£4,800) will be refunded, leaving at date of last meeting £-0,173 available for capital expenditure. When these transactions have been completed, the loan liability will stand at £214,400. “The new lines authorised by the Board will be practically complete lav Christmas, so that there will In* a considerable easing-off in capital expenditure for the last tha*ee months of the year. “Sundry Debtors. —The amount outstanding under the above heading is always an important feature with any business, even when times are good, buit when a severe depression is being experienced, more than usual attention is necessary. Intimately concerned as this Board is with those whose prosperity is so dependent upon the price of our primary products, it can, 1 think,, be expected that the rather lean times through which farmers are at present passing will be reflected in an increase in sundry delators balances. In order that the Board may be kept closely in touch with'the position, an arrears list will be placed upon the table each /Board meeting*, together with a summary of debtors’ balances. “The following is the position ' as alt. November 30th, 1930:—Tnl slallations and service lines, £3,- * 420; electricity accounts, £1955; 5 total, £5,375. While this is a sub- " stanfial sum, the amount is not ex--3 i essive, considering the size of the ! Board’s business. For instance, 1 tho electricity arrears amount to - only 4) per cent, of the estimated revenue for the year. The posi- ■ lion is, therefore, satisfactory at present. I regret to have to re- ' port, however, that during the ' month it was necessary to send out > 29 "cut-off” notices to consumers ' seriously in arrears; live of whom ! were actually disconnected and ■' have not yet been re-connected.” ' In commenting on the report, the ' chairman said that, taking cvery--1 thing into consideration, - he tlioiifrlit that tin* position was satis- ‘ factory. The treasurer had -poiu- > ted out that the loan expenditure ' had crept up, and in some measure 1 the increase in domestic.sales was due to that. * Mr. Seifert asked what was * approximately the reduction in the t cost, of power supplied by the * Public- W'mks Department to the * Board, ’ The Engineer stated that he had to await the account for the quar- “ ici-. There was a big reduction. The chairman remarked that the 1 Board's interest charges would be I heavier, lint, he thought that the I position altogether was satisfac--1 tory. ! The report was received on the * chairman’s motion.