KAPONGA’S OBJECT LESSON.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1921, Page 4

KAPONGA’S OBJECT LESSON.

In congratulating the farmers of the Kaponga district' on their self-reliance and enterprise in connection with securing for themselves the benefit of hydro-electric power, it is also desirable to call attention to the admirable object lesson they are giving to other sections of the community. Every visitor to Taranaki must be impressed with the prosperity of the settlers, which is mainly due to hard work, climatic advantages and co-operation. It is this great co-operative spirit which has now been brought to bear on a promising scheme for obtaining electric current.; The details of the undertaking are as simple as they can well be. The dairy company and the shareholders will find the necessary capital for installing the plant, which it is proposed to lease to the Town Board at an annual rent equivalent to seven per cent, on the outlay of £6OOO, plus a sinking fund, the board to bear the whole cost of running and maintaining the plant, while the company and the consumers for the current at a rate of five per cent, below that at which hereafter they may be able to get a supply elsewhere. The suppliers have the additional advantage of being able to finance their debenutres out of their milk cheques, spread over twelve months. It is impossible to conceive a more appropriate method of financing the concern, wjiich should prove an inestimable boon to the district, which is to be satisfactorily reticulated. In this way the settlers have shown how, when they all work together, it is possible to obtain electric power and lighting at a reasonable rate. The example is one that is to be highly commended.