RETICULATING SIDE-ROADS.

Shannon News, 20 February 1925, Page 3

RETICULATING SIDE-ROADS.

j POLICY OF PUYVER BOARD. 1 A lengthy discussion took place ui Tuesuays meeting oi me Rorownenua power Board, as me result Qf a quesuon asued ny Mr Barber as to tnc BOaru's aiuiude regarding pie reliculauon oi side-roads. me ciiai.nnau staled that every road m me district would he cnsiu--1 ered in relation to its revenue pro- , uucuig capacity and R it would pay to put in a Rue, sucn would he erecteu in due course..

Mr Seifert stated that the Board’s policy was to erect plies where consumers tq the number ol three to four to me nine could oe secured, ttiis Being tne minimum vvhicn would pay. Mr Gunning said that the matter was cropping up pretty frequently in ins district. People approacned iinu often asking what would he done about their roads. He had told them 1 mat they would he attended to in uue course and that "tne host thmg mey could do was to collect all information as to the number of consumers, ana the distance between them, and suomtt such to the Board, when it would be considered on its merits. Mr Barber asked if it would not be possible tq make a schedule of charges, so that if there were less than three* or four to the mile, they couiu toe charged a higher rate. The Engineer said that , this could be done. A number of roads in Tokomaru had been canvassed and in all cases they would return interest On money expended. Where they would not special arrangements might be made.

Mr Brown said that the Board should supply power toi every man in the distriot. The man in the backblocks was the one who needed the power most, and they should see that he got it, even if .the numbers mentioned by Mr Soilert were not available. Every man in the district, was liable for tiie uon-consutners’ rate and should he given the opportunity of. becoming a consumer. Mr Seifert said that they should be careful that there was no confusion on this matter. Mr Brown had stated that these men on side roads might have to pay a non-consumers rate, but if they were not careful to keep every part of. the line on a paying basis, every man in the district would have to pay a rate. Mr Brown said that he did not mean to suggest that side-roads should be done at a loss to the Board, hut that if the consumers on such roads were willing to hear the cost, then the Board should erect the lines. The chairman stated that the policy of the Board was to erect the mam lines and connect up the most paying parts of the district first. When this was done it would probably be possible to use some ol tiie revenue derived from this source to assist m erecting lines in more sparsely settled localities, and by this means avoid an extra charge to the man who was away from the main centres of. settlement. He hoped that by March oi this year a balance sheet would be available showing the Whole financial position of the Board, including ■ the monev expended and the revenue received. He ,was confident that when | this became available it would be | found that the Board’s position was j satisfactory. It must be that at present, whilst construction was going on, it was possible to pay | interest on (such work out of revenue, hut once the work was completed in-• terest would have to be met out of, revenue. On account of this fact, the combi o- year would not be a difficult one, but they might have more trouble in keeping things level in the l o, h°W‘ ing year. It was only by carefully regulating their expenditure so as to obtain the greatest amount of revenue possible to carry them over the cuificult years that they could avoid levying a rate. The Board was confident that by exercising care the levy; ing of a rate could be avoided, but the matter had to be watched.