COST OF CURRENT.

Shannon News, 13 April 1922, Page 3

COST OF CURRENT.

SMALL CONSUMER’S POSITION

The two points that prospective users of Mangahao power are most interested in are the cost of installation individually and thie cost of current. The Cambridge Hydro-electric Power Board recently discussed the latter matter. The following letter was received from a well' known firm of engineers: “Since we have been engaged in electric power installation for the farmers’ milking machines, we have repeatedly been up against the objection to the charges lor po.ver where small herds are concerned. The contention is that for a herd of, say, fifty cows and over, the charge is very reasonable, and compares lav-; ourably with benzine, but for smaller herds we are assured the benzine engine is the cheaper proposition, and further, the man milking thirty cows thinks he is hardly dealt with in having to pay as much for his power qs the man milking eighty. These objections appear to us to be reasonable and have led us to test the power required for one of our twocow milking plants by fitting, a onehorse power G.E. motor to the show plant in our business premises. The test was quite satisfactory, the motor maintaining its rated speed and after 3i hours’ run was not more than blood warm.” At the suggestion of the chairman a new scale was adopted, and the amended figures appear below. It is interesting to note, with respect to the minimum charge for motors, tl at hitherto the lowest rate has been £2l tor a motor of any size. . BASIC RATES. lli.p. motor £6 per annum lih.p. motor .....£9 per annum MINIMUM CHARGES.,

lh,p m0t0r....£10 10/ per annum lih.p. motor £ls per annum RATE PER UNIT.

3d for the first 100 units. 2d for the next 120 units, lid for everything over 120

members were thoroughly in accord with the step taken, and regarded the new scale in the light of a solution to a great many difficulties among the smaller consumers.