LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 108, 20 February 1950, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rainfall at Winehmoro Rainfall recorded at Winchmore up to 9 a.m. on Saturday was 152 points while during the next 24 hours a further 99 points fell, making a total of 2.41 inches. Demand on State Power Units supplied by the State Hydro Department to the Ashburton ElectricPower Board last month totalled 2,850,605, with the maximum demand 5377 kva, compared with 4941 a year ago, an increase of 436. Croquet Entries Increase Croquet entries for the South Canterbury tournament, to open at Ashburton to-morrow morning, show a very large increase compared with the tournament two yeai’s ago, when it was also held at Ashburton. The total this year is oVer 250 and, in 1948, it was only 175. Trucks for Grain The Ashburton railway station has received advice that 238 grain wagons are at present unloading at Christchurch. The total wagon orders outstanding for grain on the Methven branch ,at date is 231, and the information received brings nearer the fulfilment of these orders. \ Power Supply Faults Faultmen of the Ashburton ElectricPower Board .responded to 518 calls last month. The Anama-Carew line tripped out four times over the period, and, though nothing definite was found, the trouble appeared to be magpies on the line, a number of freshlykilled ones being noticed. Flight Over Mountains Travelling in Mr E. J. Bland’s “Proctor,” a party,of three persons yesterday flew over Methven, Lake Coleridge, Double Hill, Lake Heron and Mount Somers. The maximum altitude reached was 9700 feet, and at one stage the Tasman Sea could be seen in the distance. The duration of the flight w r as 70 minutes. Mteters at Mount Somers

Following discussion in committee, at to-day’s meeting of the Ashburton Electric-Power Board, the chairman (Mr W .H. Woods) made the following statement: “In regard to alleged damage to meters at Mount Somers' Lime Company, I wish to say that the police report that there is insufficient information to lay any charge against any particular person.” New Power Installations

Fifty-seven ne\y motors were connected up to the Ashburton ElectricPower Board’s system last month, making the total now 4980. Two of the motors were 7 h horse-power for factories, and one was of 5 h.p., also for a factory, but the remainder were smaller. Forty new meters were installed (total now 10,651), seven new consumers joined up (total 5776) and 12 radio sets connected (total 2970).

Television in Britain

“In. five years time there may be more television sets than radio sets in Britain,” said Mr M. Miles, a former Wellington man, who returned in the Dominion Monarch yesterday. Already, Mr Miles said, some of the most humble homes had television sets. Prices ranged from about £45 to £7O. Mr Miles, before he left New Zealand some years ago, was an officer of the New Zealand Commercial Broadcasting" Service. —P.A.

Prospects for Power > “As far as the South Island is concerned, there should be plenty of units about; but trouble may be experienced over peak loads,” commented the En-gineer-Secretary (Mr H. G. Kemp), at to-day’s meeting of the Ashburton Electric-Pdwer Board, when reporting regarding his recent attendance at the power supply conference in Wellington. Mr Kemp considered that, if a cold day, say, threatened to bring about too high a peak, an appeal over the radio should remedy the situation.

Athletic Championships Noel Lochhead, of Ashburton, was second in the decathlon at the Canterbury junior athletic meeting at Christchurch on Saturday last.. In the series of events comprising ‘the decathlon Lochhead was second in the 400 metres, first equal in the high jump and second in the 1500 metres. Other Ashburton successes were: B. Cameron, second in the 120 yards hurdles and in the high jump, K. Lochhead (competing in the under 17 grade) first in the 220 yards and third in the 100 yards, and' L. Usmar third in the mile.

Reticulation in Country Presenting a report to this morning’s meeting of the Ashburton Elec-tric-Power' Board,, the engineer-secre-tary (Mr H. G. Kemp) recommended that application be made to the Rural Reticulation Council, for subsidies on several lines previously included in the board’s plans. These were approved, and it was added, on the suggestion of Mr L. A. Charles, that it was the board’s policy not‘to proceed with the construction of lines outside the board’s area until all possible lines inside the district had been completed.

Fire Late at Night Just before 11 o’clock on Saturday night the Ashburton Fire Brigade received a call from 23 Wills Street, the residence of Mr J. M. Nolan. On arrival they found a large shed at the back of the premises well alight, the cause of the fire apparently being the accidental ignition of a considerable quantity of papers and straw in the building. The shed was practically burned out, but the efforts of the brigade saved a much more serious conflagration, as adjacent to the building, were wooden fences, themselves close to adjoining house properties. Power Revenue Increases Revenue 'obtained by the Ashburton Electric-Power Board last month showed an increase of £125, to £6522, compared with January, 1949. Domestic revenue was up £297 to £4006 and commercial by £35 to £1059, but power nominally fell by £203 to £1328, though this was due mainly to a change in the accounts system. For the 10 months to January 31, the totals of revenue, with the increases in parentheses, were as follow: —Domestic £57,563 (£7521), commercial £14,473 (£2524), power £16,231 (£2473), public lighting £1658 (£111) and sundries £1354 (£23)—total £91,681 (£12,654).

Miss R. Spragge, of Dromorne Linen Co., Ltd., Auckland, will be visiting the Ashburton District this week. Messages left at the Somerset Hotel, or a card posted to P.O. Box 859, Christchurch, for , appointments (town or country) will receive her immediate attention.-KAdvt.)