POWER FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Shannon News, 21 June 1921, Page 1

POWER FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY.

CAN LOCAL BOARDS DISCRIMINATE?

LONG-DISTANCE WIRES MAY BE CHARGED FOR.

IMPORTANT MINISTERIAL PRONOUNCEMENT.

In the course of setting up local boards to distribute the power from the Mangahao hydro-electric scheme, considerable discussion—and not a littje manoeuvring—has ‘taken place over the vexed question of linking closely-settled towns and widely-scat-tered counties in one area, the argument being put forward that the town should not have to pay for the extensive wiring required to reticulate the country. A pronouncement made on Friday by the Minister for Public Works (Hon. .7. G. Coates) puts the matter Tn a new light. The occasion was a deputation from the Shannon Borough Council, consisting of the Mayor (Mr Murdoch), and Crs. Fargher and Gardner, the request being preferred that Shannon be allowed to form its own Power Board.

The Mayor of Shannon ( Mr Murdoch) in asking that his borough be constituted a separate board under the Act, put forward the argument that if a small borough were included in a district embracing a wide rural area, and a flat rate were charged over the whole district, the town would be forced to pay for miles of wiring for the benefit of the country. This, he contended, was not an equitable system. A comparatively small amount of wire would be used in a borough, and if Shannon were constituted a separate board a considerable saving would be made.

The Minister: You would not have the power at all if it were for Shannon alone. It is only by linking up the whole of the people that we can give you the power at a reasonable rate.

Mr Murdoch: Is it a fair thing that Shannon should pay for miles and miles of wire for those outside the borough? I think the rating should be fixed pro rata. The Minister, in reply, said that the town need not be penalised for the country’s reticulation. That was never intended. If, for instance, a man living twenty miles away desired to be connected, the local Power Board would say to him: You must pay for the wiring if you want the power.”

Mr Furkert (Public Works Engineer) pointed out that each local Board had to run its business on business lines, and would be expected to maTte the proposition a payable one. Mr Murdoch said it was highly important to get hold of this information, as the matter had never been put in this light before. Mr Coates pointed out that under the Power Boards Act each local board had power to make its own regulations. It was never intended that a flat rate should be struck over a whole district for reticulation purposes.

Mr Murdoch: Then we can discriminate. If a man is living far away he must pay more. Mr Coates: You would not reticulate to him unless he paid. On the other hand, you would not impose such regulations as would prevent the ready sale of your power.

Cr. Fargher asked the Minister if it. were possible to supply temporary lighting for Shannon from the plant already working. He pointed out that Shannon was sorely in need of a lighting system, and did not want to go to the expense of installing one in view of fact that the Mangahao scheme would be completed in a few years. If there was any. power to spare it would be a great convenience to the borough. Messrs. Dinnie and Furkert stated in reply that the works would absorb all the light from the plant, and consequently there would' be none to spare.