Show ATTORNEY ASKS VALUATION AID Employment of Engineer by State in Phone Rate Case Urged Immediate employment of a 1 valuation valuation valuation tion engineer to aid the state in its rate case against the fountain States Telephone Telephone Tele Tele- phone and Telegraph company was urged Saturday by John D. D Rice deputy deputy deputy dep dep- uty attorney general Mr Rice who was relieved of or routine routine routine rou rou- tine duty recently to devote his full ful attention to serving as counsel for forthe forthe forthe the state public utilities commission In Its rate fight is busily preparing legal data for the reopening of the case at the capitol February 5 The telephone company's valuation tion experts are arc beginning a survey of the property in service in Utah and to avoid duplication of of effort later a state expert should be employed employed em em- immediately to work with the telephone men Mr Rise said He explained he lie hoped to obtain sufficient funds to provide provid for such sucha a state expert through the legislative committee of nine headed by State Senator Herbert B. B Maw which has agreed to furnish financial aid to the utilities commission in Its efforts to obtain lower utility rates The deputy attorney general pointed out that lack of a trained engineer qualified to testify testily as an expert has handicapped the commission in its rate hearings heretofore since the office force Corce could not be expected to compete com corn com compete pete w with th the highly paid highly paid engineers employed by the utilities Cross examination of witnesses who appeared in the rate hearing at Logan re recently w will Il open the hearing February Feb Feb- ru 5 5 |