RATEPAYERS’ MEETING

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 416, 24 April 1937, Page 5

RATEPAYERS’ MEETING

ELECTRICITY CHARGES Comparison With Other Towns Since the last meeting of the Stratford Borough Council, when Dr. W. P. Gordon raised the question of the reduction of electricity charges, Mr H. E. Lawrence has been making inquiries as to the costs elsewhere and he will place his information before the ratepayers’ meeting to be held on Monday night. “It has been boasted that this is the cheapest town in New Zealand aS regards electricity charges, but that is not so,” said Mr Lawrence to the “Central Press” this morning. He produced an account sent out by the Napier Borough Council to the occupant of a five-roomed dwelling, which showed that domestic lighting

cost 6d per unit and domestic power IJd per unit, all less 10 per cent. The

scale of charges for domestic lighting was: Schedule units at. fid; next 60 at IJd; balance at Id. All less 10 per cent. Commercial lighting charges were: Maximum demand, 30 at fid; balance 2d. All less 10 per cent. The £3400 profit made by the Stratford Borough Council last year was equal to £1 per head on every man, woman and child in Stratford, Mr Lawrence said. In effect it meant that a household of four was paying £4 more than it ought to, and the money went in reduction of someone else’s rates or someone else’s light because the big consumer was favoured. It was taking money out of the poor man’s pocket. “The council is there to see that every citizen gets a fair deal,” Mr Lawrence said.