ELECTRICITY FOR OUTER AREAS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 166, 4 October 1927, Page 8

ELECTRICITY FOR OUTER AREAS

WHILE it is always a good policy to look ahead, and sometimes to build ahead, the Auckland Electric-Power Board would be well advised to regard the warning uttered at yesterday’s meeting by Mr. Bloodworth—that, the board would have to be careful it did not reticulate an area for no other purpose but to increase land values. Mr. Bloodworth added that lie knew this had been the only result in some cases. It is a pity he did not go further and specify the instances alluded to. Where has the hoard reticulated “for no other purpose than to increase land values”; and who principally benefited from this result? Auckland consumers who pay much higher rates for their eleeti-icity as compared to the consumers in the South, would be very interested to know what are these unprofitable works with which their charges have been saddled. It may be some consolation, however, to think that the Auckland Power Board has learned a lesson from earlier mistakes, for yesterday, on the advice of the general manager, Mr. It. 11. Bartley, it refused a petition for reticulation from residents of the Pakuranga district. The chairman, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, admitted that the board was carrying its lines from Papakura to Clevedon at a cost of £20,000, a work which would not show an adequate return. He remarked that it would be foolish to attempt extensions which could mean nothing but ultimate losses of capital. Auckland consumers will regret that this most obvious reasoning did not take possession of the board before, it authorised the Papakura-Clevedon extension. If those who arrange for the supply of electricity do not reason on economical lines, but merely seek to bloat themselves as power boards by covering every available inch of the country, they will be conferring a very doubtful boon on consumers. Electricity is a very handy power, but it may easily be made too costly. It is not befriending the farmer to give him current at a price which makes him wish he had stuck to benzine. Consumers generally consider they are already being charged far too much for power and light by the board. Before this authority goes on with any further reticulation, it should first be well assured that the cost is not going to be borne, even in part, by those already using its current. And Aucklanders would like an immediate explanation from the board as to why electricity (vide the Government Statistician’s “Monthly Abstract”) costs 8s lOd for 23 units in Auckland, while the charge is 5s llfd in Wellington, 4s 8d in Dunedin, and only 3s lOd in Christchurch !