ELECTRIC POWER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1941, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER

MEETING OF WAIRARAPA BOARD STREET LIGHTING CHARGES. PRICE TRIBUNAL'S DECISION, (“Times-Age” Special.) The monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Electric Power Board was held at Carterton today. The chairman. Mr A. Campbell Pearce, presided. There were also present Messrs J. W. Colquhoun. F. C. Daniel], 11. P. Hugo, E. C. Holmes, M. B. Tait, and G. Hart. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs W. A. Tate and W. Howard Booth. Accounts for JC 15.252 17s 8d were passed. The Price Tribunal advised that it had approved of the Electricity Controller’s request that the Wairarapa Board should continue to charge the same for street lighting as previously, although the lighting hours had been reduced.

“What happens to the units of electricity we save in Masterton by cutting the street lights off at 12.30 a.m. instead of 3 a.m.?” asked Mr Hugo.

Mr Pearce: “It is a direct saving to the Government.” “As far as the Government is concerned water and coal have to be used to generate every unit of electricity,” said Mr Brown, Secretary-Manager.

Mr Hugo: “But no one could use the electricity at the time the saving is effected.”

Mr Brown, in reply, pointed out that if the units were not being used the generating stations did not have to burn coal. The saving came in that direction.

Mr F. C. Daniell asked the chairman if ranges were being installed, in competition against gas, in Masterton, while the board was being given units for nothing by the borough. Mr Pearce agreed that that was the position. “We have no authority to refuse the installation of ranges but we can refuse to instal water heaters if a consumer has not got a water heater ,” observed Mr Brown.