PAYING THE POWER BILL.

Shannon News, 23 October 1925, Page 3

PAYING THE POWER BILL.

AND. AVOIDING- PENALTY. Reporting to the Horowhenua Power Board on Tuesday, the Treasurer said; The Board's terms for the supply of electricity to. consumers contain me provision that accounts must be paid on or before the expiration of 14 days after such accounts have neon rendered. If accounts are not so paid a further charge or penalty of 10 per cent, on the amount of each account must also be paid. In practice this provision is a very useful one and is undoubtedly in the best interests of the Board's business. In one respect, however, an improvement could be made without altefing the principle which would in my opinion be more equitable. A consumer who has overlooked the date of payment through some mistake and perhaps pays his account the next day should be treated with more consideration than one who takes full advantage of any extension of time which it is possible to get. 1 would therefore recommend the following small alteration, viz., where a consumer's account is paid within seven days from the date of "the last day for payment without penalty," then the amount of the penalty shall only ( be 5 per cent, of the amount.of the account, but delay in making pay- j ment beyond the said seven days will mean that the consumer must pay the full penally of 10 1 per cent, Mr Ross did not agree with the posal. He suggested having a fixed clay for each district for payment instead of having these throughout the month. People would then get to know what the "day was. The chairman said that then they would have to complete the meter reading bv a certain date each The secretary 6aid the cost of monthly reading would he very heavy owing to the transportation. The chairman stated that the Northern Boards were making quarterly readings instead of every two months owing to the expense. Mr Gunning favoured the secretary's suggestion as people could see the date of payment when receiving their account. ,

" The secretary said it seemed hard when payment slipped a man's no tice and he came in next day that 1 he should have to pay the full penalty. It wag. a little more ectuitable for him to receive some consideration. '. Mr Ross asked why not go a/ little 'further and make a concession for cash paid to the meter reader. The chairman said that suggestion , might be worth considering. He recommended giving the secretary's proposal a trial. This course was adopted.