CRITICISM RESENTED.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 279, 14 March 1929, Page 8

CRITICISM RESENTED.

POWER STOPPAGES. Board Not to Blame. Resentment of criticism of the Thames Valley Power Board by Te Aroha local bodies was strongly expressed at Tuesday’s meeting of the board. The subject was introduced by the reading of a report of the Te Aroha Borough Council’s engineer, Mr. Dalton, which alleged eleven stoppages in the electrical service to the borough aggregating 3 hours 48 minutes between January 30 and February 31. The borough engineer’s report was made following a complaint by the Te Aroha Chamber of Commerce of “ lack of representation by the council to the board concerning difficulties calling for attention.”

The assistant engineer to the board, Mr. G. Lindsay, said that ten stoppages aggregating 3 hours 21 minutes had occurred in the period mentioned. Of this total three were due to faults on the Power Board lines and seven to faults on the Public Works Department systems. Mr. F. M. Strange thought exception should be taken to “ the crude way in which the Te Aroha Borough Council has endeavoured to throw the blame on the board.” “In justice to the Public Works Department,” he continued, “ very few people realise the splendid way it is overcoming great difficulties at Arapuni. In the midst of these last year there was a serious fire at Horahora and it should be remembered that the Department is compelled to distribute its bulk supplies of electricity from divergent sources. I think the public should try and realise the difficulties that the Department has been up against. Last week I was most agreeably surprised at the progress made at Arapuni; and to find that everything ia. running to schedule and that power will be available at Arapuni within two months, thongh necessary minor adjustments may occasion slight delay.” “ The facts in regard to this criticism of the board,” said Mr. Arthur (Te Aroha), “are'that there are a number of irresponsible people at Te Aroha who regard these inconveniences as a joke. They do not read the newspapers and appear to be incapable of expressing ordinary intelligence in apportioning blame, for such matters.” He moved that the position as set out by the engineer be explained in detail to the Borough Council.

Messrs. Corbett, Price and Flatt also expressed resentment at the criticism, which they said was, under the circumstances, quite inexcusable from a neighbouring local body which must have been aware that the stoppages in the service were not due to the board. Mr. Arthur’s motion was carried.