“OPENING THE GATE”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1938, Page 8

“OPENING THE GATE”

REQUEST FOR REDUCTION IN CHARGES. Y.M.C.A. APPLICATION TO POWER BOARD. “We are quite in sympathy with the Association, but we cannot make any reduction in our charges,” remarked the chairman, Mr A. Campbell Pearce, at today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Electric Power Board, when a letter was received from the Masterton Y.M.C.A. asking the board to give consideration to the rates charged for power used by the association. Mr Pearce said he could not see how they could possibly make any direct reduction in the charges. He fully appreciated the valuable community work being carried out by the association. The secretary-manager, Mr G. Brown, said the association’s power account amounted to about £3 a month during the winter. “If we make any reduction,” remarked Mr H. P. Hugo, “we will have the churches and other similar institutions coming at us. They are doing excellent work and we are sympathetic towards them.” Mr C. R. Holmes: “It would leave the gate wide open. The Plunket Society is also doing good work.” Mr F. C. Daniell referred to the services being provided by the association and said it would be a good concession if a change over were made from the commercial rate to the domestic rate. Mr J. W. Colquhoun said they all appreciated the worth of the Y.M.C.A., but they would have to be very careful about making any reductions. "We do not know where this will lead us to,” observed the chairman, who added: “We cannot help them directly but we may be able to do something indirectly.” It was decided to hold the matter over until the next meeting of the board to allow further information to be obtained.