Rabaul Electricity—Not
p. 154 · Read in the full issue
Enough and Too Cheap
AT the May meeting of the Rabaul Town Advisory Council, the District Commissioner was asked to inquire of the Department of Works if it has the power to discontinue electricity supply to people who persist in using stoves and other appliances prohibited in the Rabaul area. If the Depart ment of Works has not the power, then the TAG would like to see it get it.
At present, residents who live out at the end of certain lines of elec tricity reticulation in Rabaul have scarcely sufficient power to run a radio set during peak dinner-hour periods when some users are pre sumably using illegal stoves and stovettes to cook their meals.
The generating capacity of Rabaul power-house is at present quite inadequate for the demands placed upon it. Cost of electricity per unit is nevertheless comparatively cheap.
One prominent businessman of the town told a PIM representative that the Australian taxpayers are sub sidising Rabaul electricity users to the extent of from 6d to lOd per unit of light and power used.