Old news from Armidale and New England

Wednesday 17 February 1937, The Sydney Morning Herald

INVESTIGATION FIELDS.

In pursuance of the Government’s policy of extending electricity into rural areas, the Minister for Works and Local Government (Mr. Spooner) has given instruction for field investigations during 1937 in the rural districts surrounding towns where power supply is available, to assist the local authorities in preparing schemes for rural supply.

In the south and south-west investigations are to be carried out at Milton, Bombala, Queanbeyan, Cooma, Gundagai, Tumut, Wagga. Albury, Corowa, Deniliquin, and Young.

A similar course is to be followed in the west at Bathurst, Blayney, Cowra, Forbes, Grenfell, Condobolin, and Dubbo. Similarly, on the north arrangements for investigations have been made at Gosford, Muswellbrook, Tamworth, Armidale, Glen Innes, Inverell, and Tenterfield.

In suitable cases of rural extension the Government will subsidise the local authority to the extent of 5 per cent, of the capital cost in the first year, diminishing by ½ per cent, per annum to be extinguished in 10 years. The subsidy is available to meet the annual charges incurred. By this means, the cost of electricity to the consumer on rural extensions is kept within reasonable bounds.