Events In Australia Delay Power Board's Work

Chronicle (Levin), 21 July 1949, Page 6

Events In Australia Delay Power Board's Work

Strikes and floods in Australia have been felt in Horowhenua and are holding" up power reticulation in the district, according to the Horowhenua Electric Power Board. Its chairman, Mr. T. G. Vincent, said at a board meeting yesterday that these factors were holding up the delivery of hardwood poles urgently required for the reticulation of new sub^ivisions. „He said he trusted the people would appreciate this factor and realise that it was out of the control of the board. Steel for concrete poles aLso came into the picture, Mr. Vincent said, as British steel was not only hard to obtain, but was much dearer than the Australian steel. In fact Austraxian steel could be obtained for half the price. The engineer, Mr. J. F. Bryce, had gone into the question of the manufacturing of concrete poles by the board and considered that the cost was not more or less than that of the imported hardwood poles, the chairman continued. The board would, however, require a building for use as a factory for manufacturing concrete poles, and there was a possibility that the board might purchase a steel hut, which, if raised on a six-foot high, concrete wall, would probably be quite satisfactory.