Show A Better Deal For many years American advocates advocates advocates cates of municipal and state owner ownership ownership ownership ship of electric utilities have pointed with pride to the famous owned owned government Ontario hydro system describing it as an exam exam- example example example of the blessings similar pro pro- pro projects would bring to American homes and factories The Ontario system is probably the best operated unit of ol its kind in the world It has been wellmnn wellman well man man- managed managed aged It ais as apparently been moro more free from political control than have most government business electric ventures It has given good elec elec- elec- elec service at reasonable rates But a recent report coming from the chairman of the power com com- commission commission commission mission itself casts grave doubt on whether it has resulted in the economic miracles its admirers would have us e delivered The Tho average cost of ot power de- de de livered in Toronto according to the report increased from 2128 per pel horsepower in 1930 to to m a 1923 1923 a jump of or nearly 60 50 per i percent cent taking place at a time when most American private utility systems terns managed to reduce operating costs and consequently the cost ot of service to the public Further be- be tween between 1931 and the present the reserve of or the commission was re- re re reduced from 1 to which which means that the thc tem system sustained a net operating loss los for tor the period of or In 1933 consumers of Toronto alone received power for less than its actual cost to the th system There is but one ono way such deficits can be made up in the cas case of or a public and ond and that way wa is 1 by assessing the taxpayer |