ELECTRIC POWER FOR SEASIDE RESORT.

Shannon News, 1 April 1924, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER FOR SEASIDE RESORT.

. ;—.4—. COMMITTEE TO. WAIT ON POWER . . / . ROARD. "■■""" (Manawatu "Herald.) At last week's meeting of Hi© Foxton Harbour Board, Mir E. R. Holben brought up the question of electric light for the Foxtori seaside. He said he wanted to see the current supplied to the beach but the engineer to the Horowhenua Electric Power Board had informed him that they were not going to lay the wires to the beach as there was not sufficient v inducement to warrant the expense. He had personally approached several section holders and they knew nothing abouit the matter. All that had j been done by the Power Board by way of canvass for consumers at the beach was to leave a. circular at each house in, occupation. Many beach cottage-owners were disappointed and perturbed at the fact that the current was not going to be supplied. He had written to the secretary of the Power Board about the matter and in reply had received a letter stating that the canvasser had endeavoured to get sufficient consumers at the beach to warrant the installation, but had not been successful. Mr C. Whitehead, of the Beach Improvement Society, had called on the secretary of the Power Board, and had been informed that £2OO. per annum was required by the Board before it was prepared to go to the expense of erecting transmission lines to the 10-v cality. Mr Holben proposed that the Harbour Board secretary ascertain if the Harbour Board Act would allow the Board to guarantee the £2OO required. The secretary could then get signatures from section-holders to allow the property holders to he rated. The Board could give the guarantee and only those who guaranteed the amount be allowed to connect up with the current. ,He was sure once the light was at the beach all the i residents would come into line. This method would save the Power Board a gireat deal of trouble. The Board would only be committed for £2OO and within the first year he predicted that fifty per cent, of the section holders would connect up, thus reducing the amount by £IOO. The cost would be 30s per year. . The chairman (Mr J. Lmklater, M.P.) said he considered it was the Horowhenua Electric Power Board's duty to obtain signatures. He considered they would be forthcoming if a canvasser went round and interviewed householders. The Board had enough to do without doing the Power Board's work. He Avas sure there had been a misunderstanding. No business Board would leave out 100 or so consumers. The matter needed threshing out. ..,_,■ Mr Holben consented to withdraw his proposal and it was decided that a committee consisting of the chairman and Messrs Rimmer and Holben wait on the Horowhenua Power Board at its next meeting to discuss the matter.