CHEAPER POWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 824, 19 November 1929, Page 10

CHEAPER POWER

TRANSPORT DEPUTATION MEETS POWER BOARD SPECIAL COMMITTEE "It has been suggested that 1 said the Auckland Power Board, and the -cost ot power, was the root 01 our trouble, but that is wrong. You board and officials have pleased uand the agreement has certainly net kem. but nevertheless the cost ot yottr power is higher than that in tl’.t South, and we are ’note to see it is not possible for more f-tvou. able conditions." said Mr. I A. 1 AiUiiu. who headed the Auckland Tran, oort Board's sub-committee in a dtpn lion to the Auckland l-iieci il’nw.-r Board yesterday afternoon, regarding the cost of power. "11l Christchurch At. rramv. ayBoard pays £-1 10s K.Y.A. a year i the Government, whilr 'our board pays £7. There should be one - a throughout the Dominion." continued Mr. Allum. "After all. it conies back to the simple fact, that of public purpose. Transport conditions have changed and we can no longer ignore any avenue that may mean jess cost. We see no reason why costs to j outboard. and consequently the Transport Board, should not be the. same as in the South. A NATIONAL QUESTION "It is a national question, and a reduction would mean that the costs to the general public would be considerably reduced. You are acting in accordance with your agreement, hut we feel that we should r,; least enjoy the advantages shared by those in the South." Mr. E. Phelan, who also represented the Transport Board on tile deputation. said that he realised the difficulties before the power board, but it seemed hardly fair that any uiifeiential treatment should exist. He considered that some special board or commission should be set up to investigate the position m order that Auckland may receive the same treatment as in the South.

“We hope that you will join with us in this respect, in endeavouring to give such benefits to the general pub- ; lie.” he said. In supporting the remarks of the other two speakers, Air. L. H. Rhodes emphasised the fact that it was not a transport question alone, but that it would favourably affect all the consumers throughout the power board’s district. Mr. Bloodwortli: I suppose these gentlemen of the Transport Board are aware of the benefits in the general reduction which is made with the power board’s expansion. Mr. Allum: AYe certainly do not disagree with what you are doing or have done. Christchurch is beingsupplied at £4 10s and when an offer was made to Dunedin of £1 16s they smiled and objected. Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of the Power Board, said that Christ- ! church and Dunedin were fortunate, j for they were two of the first places j supplied with electrical energy and i were on pre-war prices. “NOT A COMPARISON” "I do not see how you could make any definite comparison between Auckland and any Southern cities. Take water, and anything you like, the rates all vary,” continued Mr. Holdsworth. “And when you suggest a fiat rate you are opening up a big question. The Government would have to decide that and it is not likely that those in the South would agree. “We were not in existence when the terms were arranged and we simply had to accept what was decided bv the Government. We have teally nothing to do with it. Nobody in this country knows what Arapuni is going to cost, but in it the Government is faced with a huge expenditure. AYe are only running on part of Arapuni and we are not in a position to go to the Government and say- that we are paying too much. We have a 10 years’ agreement with the Government and if we approached.it on this question the reply would probably be to the effect that we had not given it a proper trial, and not to go to it until we knew what it was going to cost.” said Mr. Holdsworth. Air. Allum said that his board did not wish to act on its own, but wished to act in conjunction with tile Power Board. Mr. Bloodwortli: When* Air. Phelan mentioned a commission, "did he intend it to be one made up front outside, or a committee representative of the two boards ? Mr. Phelan: I think an outside commission would he better, but a meeting with members from each board at. least should be held. "We are living’ up to our agreement, said Air. Holdsworth in again addressing the deputation. "You will compat e us w ith the South where they ate getting power at a ridiculously low price, but what they are doing iii the South has really nothing io do with it. AV e will go thoroughly into it, but as far as I can see there are certainly difficulties in the way iu approaching the Government.” Air. Rowe: I think we will get a terrible smack in the face if we approach the Government. Air. Bloodwortli said that the matter was indeed of vital importance to the Transport Board and that everv avenue should be explored in order i o assist it. A committee should be formed. Air. Holdsworth moved that a cora- ! mittee he set up to meet a commit- | tee from the Transport Board, r 0 -o I into the question and report back. The following members were chosen j to represent the Power Board on the special committee: Messrs v j 1 Holdsworth, .1. Harbutt. R G Clark j and T. Bloodwortli.