D.—l.

Statistical Data and Studies. Collection of river-flow records has been continued, and studies of the growth of load have been made from time to time, together with studies of how these loads are to be met. World Power Conference. Communication has been maintained with the World Power Conference, and with the section dealing with large dams. The Department has arranged to exchange information concerning existing dams with other member countries. It is considered that the information so obtained will be of great value. ELECTRIC-POWER BOARDS. There are now forty-five districts constituted, and forty-one (including Westland Power, Ltd., operating under delegated license) actually carrying out the distribution and sale of electrical energy (August, 1936). The total area covered is 80,299 square miles, or 77-5 per cent, of the total area of the Dominion (103,415 square miles) ; the total population concerned is 1,084,836, or 69 per cent, of the total population (1,573,482) of the Dominion ; and the unimproved value of the land included m the electric-power districts and outer areas is £249,033,403, or 82-9 per cent, of the total unimproved value of the Dominion (£301,137,513). _ So far only one of the four main cities —viz., Auckland —has been included m the inner area 01 an electric-power district, but of the secondary centres the cities of Wanganui, Palmerston North, and Invercargill, and the Boroughs of Timaru, Napier, Hastings, Blenheim, Greymouth, Gisborne, and Oaniaru are included. The advantage of Power Board organization is more obvious to rural than to urban ratepayers, and yet the above position indicates that some of the more important centres have realized that it is to their advantage generally to be associated with the country in undertaking the work of reticulation of electric power on a comprehensive scale. Table VIII gives details of the gazetted date of constitution, the area, population, and rateable value of each of forty-five power districts already formed, also the amounts of the loans already authorized, and the voting on polls taken. The total amount of the loans authorized by the forty-one districts which have taken their polls is £14,410,010. The population of the districts is 976,270, so that the loans authorized amount to £14-76 per head of population, as compared with £14-58 last year. The unimproved valuation of the districts is £222,433,533, the loans authorized amounting to 6-41 per cent, of the unimproved rateable value of the lands pledged as security for the loans. The aggregate voting at the polls totalled 69,720 for and 12,409 against the respective loan P Co PTable XI shows the capital outlay incurred by each Board up to the end of the financial year 1935-36, together with the revenue and annual expenditure. The total capital outlay by the forty-one Boards which are in operation is £14,156,962, practically all of which is on works in service. The gross revenue from the sale of electricity by these Boards was £2,338,218. The general result is a profit over the whole business of the Power Boards of £107,321 for appropriation to reserve funds, &c., after paying working-expenses and capital charges for interest, sinking fund, and depreciation. . During the last year five of the Boards struck a general rate, which was collected in all cases, and one of the Boards struck special rates for the security for loans, which were collected in this case. The following table gives details of the rates levied and collected : —

Rates collected by Electric-power Boards for Year ended 31st March, 1936.

LOCAL ELECTRIC-SUPPLY SYSTEMS. Including the Government plants, there are now (31st March, 1936), forty-one public electricpower stations operating in the Dominion, as compared with forty last year, the additional one being accounted for by the Otago Central Power Board's new hydro station on the Roaring Meg.

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General Kate. Availability Rate. Special Rates. Total Name of Board. "7 coUerted Levied. Collected, j Levied. Collected. Levied. Collected. d. £ £ d- £ £ Banks Peninsula .. T %, and g L o 2,702* .. .. .. •• «'I??* Malvern .. .. J 2,495* .. .. •• •• 2,495* Marlborough .. .. .. .. 66* .. .. 66 Manawatu-Oroua .. .. 41* •• •• Otago .. .. 0-15and0-05 330* .. .. 0-15 and 0-175 3,736* 4,066* Southland .. f 32,232* .. .. •• •• 32 ' Taranaki 43* .. .. 43* Wairoa .. .. '■ 1,845* .. •• •• •• 1,845 Totals .. .. 39,645 .. j 109 j .. 3,736 43,490 * Includes arrears for previous years.