65. Mr. Vaneasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether his attention has been drawn to the use of single wire high-voltage distribution of electricity adopted both in New Zealand and Australia as a means of reducing the cost of providing a supply of electricity in thinly populated rural areas; and whether he will give a general direction to the British Electricity Authority to carry out experiments on an appropriate scale this year.
§ Mr. Joynson-HicksThe single wire system has not so far been adopted in this country because of the possibility of greater danger to the public and of interference with communications. But there may be places where it could be properly used and I am informed that the Southern Electricity Board has undertaken an experimental scheme, which was brought into use on 25th April, and a number of other experiments are proposed.