CHARGES REDUCED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 April 1938, Page 8

CHARGES REDUCED

COMMERCIAL LIGHT & HEAT RATES ACTION BY WAIRARAPA BOARD. RESULT OF GOOD YEAR. (“Times-Age” Special.) • Reductions in the rate for commercial light and heat were decided upon by the Wairarapa Elec- ~ . trie Power Board, at its meeting today. The new rates will come into effect on June 1, 1938. The reductions will mean a saving of consumers of £1902 per annum. The chairman, Mr A. C. Pearce, congratulated the Secretary-Manager (Mr G. Brown) on the excellent results achieved during the past year and said the very satisfactory position of the board was a tribute to the work and ability of Mr Brown. After referring to the sound administration of members and thanking them for their co-operation, Mr Pearce said: “In the future it should be possible for the board to make further reductions to the benefit of the consumers. I believe we will be justified in doing so soon.” Mr R. J. King said it was pleasing to see that the board was making real progress, probably more than any other power board in New Zealand. The board was favourably placed in the Wairarapa as there were several fairly large towns to bolster up the consumption of power. The rate for commercial lighting, was too high and in view of the way people were lighting their shops and street frontages he was of opinion that the proposed reductions in the commercial rate were probably on the modest side. Mr W. A. Tate considered that future revenue should be used for rural expensions and for rebates to domestic users. Both those things should be done long before further consideration was given to the lighting of shops. The reduction in the commercial rate was long overdue, remarked Mr H. P. Hugo. In. view of the profit made this year by the board the commercial users were well entitled to the proposed reductions. The recommendation of the Finance Committees with regard to the proposed reductions, which were adopted, were as follow: — “That the net rate for commercial light be reduced by Id per unit and for commercial heat by ,’d per unit; that the first step on the high rate be reduced from 100 units per month to 50 units per month, and that a third step be introduced providing that all units in excess of 300 per month be charged at 3d per unit. The new rates to be: cross disc, net A. Ist 50 units per month Gd Id 5d Next 250 units per month 5d Id 4d All over 300 units per month 4d Id 3d B. Ist 50 units per k.w. of max. demand 6d Id 5d Next 100 units per k.w. of max. demand 3d Id 2d Excess units per month 2d Id Id The new rates to come into effect from June 1. 1938. That the charge for power used by the power house or sub-station operators be reduced from £2 to 30s per month with a limit of 1200 units per month and that any units used in excess of 1200 per month be charged at the rate of Id per unit.