HEATING CONTRACTS.
COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS. POWER BOARD DEBATE. Objections by a number of Masterton consumers to an alleged variation of the conditions in which they had agreed to use electric power for heating water were discussed at length by the Wairarapa Power Board yesterday. The principal target of oomplaint was the withdrawal of power for water heating during a daily period extending from 9 a.m. till noon. One Masterton consumer wrote contending that he had been given an assurance that electric power would be supplied continuously at a flat rate. The secretary-manager (Mr. Brown) said that several other letters qf a similar nature had been received. He stated that charges for current had not been increased; they had been reduced
Mr. T. Jordan (referring to a particular letter): “This man says we have broken a bargain with him. If we make a bargain with consumers, then we should break it only with their consent.” If, Air. Jordan added, a man went out- and gave certain assurances on behalf of the board, the board would have to stand to these assurances or else sack the man.
The chairman (Mr. Benton) said he could endorse the statement of the secretary-manager that a better service was given under the new arrangement. Mr. Brown said that one consumer had declined to try out the new arrangement at the board’s expense. Some of "the complaining consumers, the secretary-manager added, were really denying that the hoaNl had any right to alter any of its charges without their consent. Mr. Jordan, who had several times reiterated his point about the observance of contracts, said that they should be very careful about inducements and suggestions in seekifig new business. He knew what happened in such circumstances. Very often a keen canvasser would overdo the job. He (Mr. Jordan) was anxious that they should satisfy the consumer.
In answer to Mr. Pearce, Mr. Brown said that the board was endeavouring to meet consumers in regard to the hours at which the hot water supply was cut off. Answering Mr. Jordan, the secretary-manager said that the price of current for heating water had not been increased, but had bene reduced.
Mr. King expressed an opinion that if the position were explained to con sumers individually, the trouble would be got over. Mr. Jordan: “The whole trouble is that a bargain has been ,varied.” Mr. Brown observed that an official said to have given assurances to consumers probably would deny that he had ever said that the arrangements made in the first instance would be permanent.
After some further discussion, the board approved a recommendation by its Finance Committee that the matter of complaints fe water heating should be left in the hands of the secretarymanager to be dealt with.
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Wairarapa Age, 9 February 1927, Page 4
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459HEATING CONTRACTS. Wairarapa Age, 9 February 1927, Page 4
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