FRANKLIN POWER BOARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 563, 16 January 1929, Page 2

FRANKLIN POWER BOARD

The Franklin Power Board met yesterday, tile chairman, Mr. J. Dean, presiding. Tlxe Associated Banks of New Zealand, having x'efused to reduce the. charges for the collection of consumers’ quarterly accounts, from 11 per cent, to 1 pei' cent., it was agreed to terminate the arrangement and to ask consumers to pay dii'ect to the office, the boai'd to pay exchange on cheques. The action of the Local Government Loans Board in l'estricting loans for power reticulation to 20 years and compelling their extinction by means of a sinking fund of 3 per cent., was considered to be oppressive and most unreasonable. It was stated that the 'conditions existing in the past, a sinking fund of 1 per cent, over 36£ years, was satisfactory, and the board saw no reason for a departure from this course, as boards were compelled to set up a reserve fund for renewals of plant. To carry out further extensions, £60,000 is required, spread over a term of years. A special meeting is to be held next Tuesday to consider the matter. At a salary of £7OO per annum, the boai'd decided to retain the services of Mr. T. R. Overton as consulting engineer, Mr. Overton to have the right to accept employment of a non-permanent nature in his pi'ofessional capacity. During the month new lines at Onewhero, Kohanga. Rama Rama, Karaka North and Ararimu had been livened, while surveys had been carired out in Pukekawa district. A contract amounting to £402 12s had been let to Messrs. Barker and Wills for wiring Pukekawa group. The various wiring gangs had been operating freely all over the board’s territory since the vacation. TAURANGA TOPICS The Chamber of Commerce held its monthly meeting on Monday evening, Mi*. G. T. Wright, president, presiding, over a fair attendance. On the recommendation of the carnival committee it was decided to proceed with the arrangements for holding an exhibition and carnival week in May next. It was reported that in conjunction with the local bodies, the officers of the Laburnum would be given motor trips about the district. Provision would also be made for the children to visit the ship. Messrs. Christian and Wright were appointed delegates to the Bay of Plenty Development Leagxie meeting, to be held here on January 23. It was decided to send the following remit to the league:—“That the Government be asked to favourably consider the starting of the Paeroa-Pokeno railwav line.” Mr. J. H. Beale, who has recently returned from a visit to the Homeland, gave a very interesting address on “Great Britain as I Saw It,” dealing with his subject from a commercial and industrial viewpoint.