FOR REMOTE AREAS
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY. POWER BOARD’S SUBSIDY. Thre was a brief discussion on future policy in regard to backblocks reticulation at the meeting of the AlanawatuOroua Electric Power Board, yesterday, when the question of extending the service ou the Main South Road in the Khviteu County came forward for attention. Some months ago it had been decided to set aside a certain sum to be used by way of subsidy in extending the service lines to sparsely populated territories, and when it was suggested yesterday that the Main South Road work be subsidised, ,Mr N. Campbell called lor more caution. “We must adopt a sound business policy in regard to this matter,” he said. “We shu-uld not do here what we would not do iu our own business life.” Mr Campbell added that he was full of sympathy for the backblocks farmer, but he was not in favour of giving him a supply at a definite loss. Mr J. Hodgens M.P., said that he could not entirely understand Mr Campbell’s reasoning, and he went on to make his point, amid laughter. “A certain dairy comnany presided oyer by a certain able gentleman,” he said, “would collect cream from a nearby farm,-and without any added service cost would go right up to Apiti and collect cream ”
Mr J. A. Nash: Don’t say it would, say it did. Air Hodgens: That makes it all the better. If it is sound business to do that, it is surely sound to give 'service to backblocks farmers.
Air M. A. Eliott agreed with the principle expounded, but each case, he contended, should be treated on its merits, giving due regard to the future possibilities of the district in reference to the consumption of electricity. Air Nash reminded the meeting that areas in close proximity to the city had electricity 14 years ago, while outback settlers paid rates and secured no service. “Surely now,” he said, “it is our duty to assist these people within reason.”
It was decided to proceed with the work on Alain South Road and to subsidise it to the extent of £IOO.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19370810.2.74
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 214, 10 August 1937, Page 6
Word Count
352FOR REMOTE AREAS Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 214, 10 August 1937, Page 6
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Manawatu Standard. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in