I'm going to take on a battle; its been a long time, but I think need to get on with it soon.
I won a battle in 1987 when NZFS was corporatised and most of us were made redundant. A stressful time! Anyway, some guy came to give us information, we had a few of them and I suppose they were among the first swigging from the public trough (if you like). He told us that the tax on our redundancy payments was to be at a flat rate of just 9%. However, when we received our pay chits, I noted that we were charged full rates (whatever that was at the time - maybe 25%). I told the pay clerk about this mistake, and he said there never was a suggestion of a 9% flat rate. I felt pretty sure so I went to my accountant - no that would not be likely. So I wrote to Head Office, Wellington - no, that's not correct. So I wrote to the IRD and sure enough they found that we had been taxed incorrectly and it turned out that the whole lot of us were reimbursed.
I took on another fight in Tanzania - the fight for the rights of three children who found themselves without support to gain the security of their home and for their mother's pension to be paid out. I have that story on disc and will print it separately, or sell it in some way to make a trust account for the three kids - I you would like a copy, you can email me.
The fight now though is with the electrical company Meridian.
The main power line used to run along the main road (SH1) between Herbert Township to Waianakarua and beyond. The Herbert Hill has always been unstable geologically and prone to slip, and sometime around 1984, severe weather conditions caused slips and the power line went down. The regulating authority in those days was The Waitaki Electric Power Board.
Emergency measures needed to be taken and the Foreman called to see me and asked if a temporary line could be placed through my paddock. I agreed for two reasons, the first was altruistic - helping to hurry the process of supplying electricity to people further down the line and a duty, if you like, to co-operate. The second reason was that the Foreman was Mags' softball coach for many years so was a sort of friend.
However, I never signed any consent for the line to cross my property and there has been no easement registered on my land title. There were four poles erected and another one has just gone in outside the fence, when the road was realigned.
Thinking about the situation though - the best place for the line is on the North side of Breakneck Road because the railway line travels alongside. It is sensible to place utilities on public land. I wonder why was it not put there then and why it should not be there now!
Under Waitaki Electric Power Board jurisdiction there was no problem because we knew most of the workers and there was mutual co-operation. However things changed when the government made the changes that created Meridian Energy. There was always the question of my trees - I happen to like trees. But power line do not like trees!
Some of these changes occurred while we were in Tanzania so I could not object to any of the changes - not that my objections would bave been noted.
So from Meridian's point of view, they took over the line where it is and do not want to remove it.Under their rules, any trimming of trees that needs to be done under or around wires is at the cost of the landowner. They will cut trees off at ground level for no charge, but the land owner has to clean up the mess. Should trees cause a power outage, the landowner (or tree owner) is up for the cost of loss of income for Meridian! (who imposes this - landowners have never agreed, and power companies show no intent of rewarding landwowners in any way). And legally, the landowner is responsible for the safety of people on their land - so if a Merdian contractor falls off his ladder and breaks his neck, his family can charge me.
Any wonder then that I want the line off my property? It is fair enough if the line is on a road line and a landowners' trees encroach on the line, but it something else when power companies do not pay for the privelege of crossing someones land!
I have written to Meridian a few times and they say I have to prove they have not right to be on my land! Well, Foreman doesn't walk this earth just now! I'm not sure what proof they need. Meridian just do not want to face the cost of realigning the line! Any wonder landowners don't want power companies anywhere near them?
I'm not quite ready to embark on this fight, but I will post updates. I'm interested to hear of other instances of this sort of thing.
