A VEXED QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1921, Page 7

A VEXED QUESTION.

CONTROL OF ELECTRIC POWER. A LIVELY DISCUSSION. There was a lively discussion at the meeting of the Stratford County Council on Saturday on the question of the control of electric power for Taranaki, there being a considerable variance of opinion. A letter was received from the Taranaki Progress League, asking for a delegate to be sent to a meeting of local bodies on August 31 to decide on a definite action regarding the forming or a power board. The letter stated that residents in Hawera county and borough, Waimate West and Strabford county and borough, were in favor of a big board. The chairman said that if the meeting of local bodies decided to go on with the scheme the second business would be to decide upon the area and to appoint a committee to control the area until the board was set up. That meant that the matter would be taken away from the Progress League until the board was formed. The league had called this meeting to get the matter settled. Unfortunately there was another body in the field, and he thought that the League’s idea of calling a meeting was a good one, and that their idea was the best. New Plymouth’s refusal to give 3000 horse-power to an outside firm showed that they would have very/ little to dispose of as time went on. New Plymouth was a very progressive district. There would not be nearly enough to supply demands, and if a certain portion of an area were satisfied the ones outside would have to do all the fighting to increase the power. The idea or the i’rogress League was that if a big board were formed, with strong finance behind it, it be able to supply the power. Cr. Anderson said that a meeting of delegates had been held at Eltham, which had decided to form a certain district, and the league had the right to bring any such area into the district that wished to form up if the league had petitions signed. That was still open for the league to do as long as petitions were signed. The people were not going to support the league, which had ben nine months doing nothing. There had been a similar arrangement years ago with the old Electric Lighting Company, which had not been successful. He stated that several districts were not supporting the league. Egmont were out, Eltham were out, and Hawera were working to support a scheme at Karioi, promoted by Wanganui interests.

The chairman said that the Stratford Borough Council was in favor of a big scheme. Cr. Weir: They want to get rid of their one-horse scheme. The chairman: You can’t say that, Cr. Weir. The Stratford Borough Council has no axe to grind. After further lively discussion, the chairman said that the Progress League did not ask Eltham to disband. They wanted Eltham to go on with the scheme. It had been said that the league had wasted time for nine months. There was a board in Eltham, and it had been wasting time for four years. The league had certain things to consider, and it was no good rushing things. Mi*. Anderson: We can get power from the Taranaki committee’s scheme in six months. The chairman: Well, why can’t your big committee get the power in six' months ? Cr. Anderson said that the big committee would be six months before it could do anything. Statements had been made that he was working in the interests of a certain dairy factory./He was not working in the interests of "any dairy company any more than the ratepayers. The chairman said lie was in support of the Progress League because the league was working for the people who were away from the line. Cr. Weir: I think there are some people with an axe to grifid. Cr. Anderson: Yes, and a mighty big axe. They have a lot of old, dilapidated machinery which they want to get rid of. Cr. Pitt said that he regretted that, there should be any friction in the matter. There was no doubt that this was a big movement, and personally he thought that the council should support a big board. He moved that the chairman should be appointed a delegate to the Progress League. Cr. Anderson: With power to support a big board? I will not agree to that. After further discussion the chairman put the motion to the meeting, and it was carried, only Cr. Anderson voting against it. After the voting the chairman said: I am not going to commit the council to anything. You need not be afraid of that. “We have no cash, anyhow,” exclaimed Cr. Thomas, and the discussion cloned, amidst laughter.