AN ELECTRIC PROBLEM.

Shannon News, 4 June 1929, Page 3

AN ELECTRIC PROBLEM.

LIGHTING REVENUE NOT INCREASING AS EXPECTED.

The smallness of the increase in the receipts for lighting, as compared with other revenue of the Horowhenua Power Board last financial year, Was referred to by Mr T. G. Vincent at the annual meeting of the Board on Tuesday. He said it seemed to him, after looking into the subject as thoroughly as he could, that there had been an actual decrease, if they took into consideration the number-’of installations during the year. He would like to know if there was any possible explanation of ,the position. The Board looked to the lighting load to help to level the peaks of the load.

The Chairman said that the hour’s daylight saving in the summer of 192728 probably did not affect the Board’s revenue last year. Possibly the consumers of electricity were more economical with their lights than they used to be, and the returns were affected by the fact that the Board had altered the system of minimum charges, se that where two mini-mums were previously in force the people now paid one, either on the cooking or the heating and not on the lighting. The fact that the flax-mills were not working much at night might also be considered; but they only paid 8d a unit for so many units, after which it was a power rate. The matter was one over which members might cogitate. Probably there was some factor yet to be discovered. In his own household more light was being used.

Mr Seifert said that in his company’s 'flaxmill more light was being used than before. ,