BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 664, 2 September 1921, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the Pukekoha Borough Council was held on Monday night to consider the Electrital Engineer’s report regarding electricity and waterworks. There were present: The Mayor (Mr J. Routly), Crs, D. R. Hamilton, G. H. Armstrong, R. H. McGough, J. Patltefson, F. J. Morrow, Jas. Knnelly, T. Brownlee, the Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane) and the Electrical Engineer (Mr W. Wyatt), who reported as follows : “I beg to submit my report of suggested improvements to the existing Electric Department. Owing to the rapid extensions and increased demand for electric current on the existing lines it is impossible to provide a continuous supply under existing conditions, as it is necessary to have both engines continuously running for the whole of the twentyfour hours, so long as we have only the electrically-driven pump in use while the big pump is being repaired and overhauled. For several weeks it has been necessary to work a considerable number of hours overtime and constant attention in order to keep the „plant running.. I would to point out that should the slightest mishap occur at the power-house to either of the engines or dynamos the whole system becomes disorganised, as the whole of the present reticulation is supplied through the same set of fuses and the same switch. One engine only is insufficient to supply the necessary power to cope with (the load. Both engines and gas generators, and also the electric generators, have been .in constant use for the past four years. I would beg to draw your attention to the fact that prior to 'the ‘ installation of the electric light, we had only one .pumping set, which has been in constant use. for the past nine years, and now requires a thorough overhaul. Spare parts have been purchased to replace worn parts •when a favourable opportunity should arise. It is impossible to do this under existing conditions, as it will be necessary' to day up‘the engine for approximately (two weeks ; also the ail compressor and gas generator. Any repairs and overhauling of the present plant have been only of a temporary nature in anticipation of the new plant being installed, and as there now appears to be little chance of the new plant being purchased and installed for some considerable time it will be necessaiy Ito strengthen our existing plant, in order to cope with the existing demand and small extensions already authorised. t I would, therefore, recommend that the present reticulation be supplied by three separate feeders from the power-house. One to control the east, side of the town ; the present set to control the main part of the town, and the third set the west part, with necessary distributing panels and equipment.. By this arrangement we would be able to split urt ythe /load and not disorganise the whole of the system in the event of a mishap, as at present. . Ateo one new or second-hand electric 55 K.W. generator be purchased, to be driven by No. 2 engine, and present generator to be coupled to the last engine that was installed, as this engine will be available for use when the gas plant, now being eredted, is completed. As the above suggested alterations in reticulation have been allowed for in the loan, and the necessary wire is now available, the only additional material required will be insulators and cross-arms. The estimated cost of the suggested additions will, be approximately £9OO. I might state that the total capital cost of electric machinery now installed in the power house, which has bfoen supplying current up to the present is approximately £BSO only. Th>r total connected load is now 54-j times the capacity of the plant, Taking our returns for the month of July, since the scheme was started, as given below, will serve to show the big increase in demand for current which has taken place from year to vear.

We have at present 272 electric consumers, 150 supplied by meter and the balance on flat rate. I would recommend that an additional 50 meters be purchased, at an estimated cost of £2-25. Owing to the office work increasing in proportion, and records of work which should be kept buit which have now to be neglected, having to be left for want of time to keep same, I would beg to ask that extra office start be now employed to enable this work to be kept up. In the past I have had to do all this work in my ov/r. house and at any odd moments that I have been able to give to it. but the work, has increased to such an extent that 1 am no longer able to handle it. I would also recommend that a contract by let for carting power-house coal.” t

WATERWORKS. J “This department also shows a rapid increase during the past two years. The present number off con-! suniers depending on the water sup-1 plj is 420. being an increase. of 90 during the past two years, and there are now ten new consumers waiting to be connected, which will bring the total up. to 430. Of this number 233 vtie supplied through a meter, and the balance without meters. Basing - oui calculations < n 30 gallons of watei per head per day and allowing four persons per connection, with m additional iOtrt head of cattle at 40 o-aiions pur head, this gives us a total of bi.fiO'i gallons of water to be jvi-m-wHi each dav. Allowing for an.ir.icreas? of 40 per cent, witliin the rK-V two rear? it will mean a total

of 128,000 gallons of water to he pumped each day. Our present supply from the bore holes is appi oxi■mately 6000 gallons per hour. In order to supply the estimated amount of water required it- would be necessary to work the bores for 22 hours per clay, and as the electric day lead is rapidly increasing, and there will be a surplus electric load for approximately 11 hours during the night period from 10 p.m. Ito 8 a.m.. and as" the engjnes work far more economically on a full.load, l would be-cv to recommend that the proposed ram system, which was recommended bv me before the electric system was inaugurated, be,substituted, with an electrically-driven pump, to be erected on the water area at Hickey s Dam, and the surplus night load be utilised for pumping. In order to enable this to be done, it will be necessary to extend the water mams from Albert Street 'to Hickey’s Darn. This- pump would be control led trom the power-house. I would also iecommencl that an indicator be_ ted from the reservoir on Rooses Hill td' indicate at /the, power-house the height of water ‘ in the reservoir. The above arrangement would duplicate the bore holes, and should it be necessary .to pump water to the reservoir on Pukekohe Hill the. watei could be run into the tank at the power-house. , The estimated cost ox the abovementioned additions would be approximately £IBOO, also £.40 for pumping main from the power-house, via Nelson Street to the Horse Bazaar, making a Ldtal of £^.040.

ELECTRICAL COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

The Waterworks and , Electrical Committee reported as follows • Engineer’s Application for Clerical Assistance. —As it is necessary that records be kept in connection with both waterworks and electricity, apart altogether from the. financia. accounts, and as the present office staff is unable to deal with them, your committee recommend to . the Council rthe advisability of considering the appointment of another junior ladv clerk to the office staff. Carting Coal. —Your committee recommend' thalt tenders be called for carting coal for the power-house for twelve months.' The committee also report- that in order to cope with pumping while the big pump is being*- repaired, that it has been found necessary to work three shifts at the power-house, and another shift engineer has been temporarily engaged. This committee recommend that this appointment be made permanent, and the following hours of work in the power-house be recognised, viz., Monday to I rid ay (inclusive), 3 shifts of 8 hours; Saturday, 3 shifts of 8 hours (7 a.m. to 11 p.m.) ; Sunday, 1 shift from dusic to 11 p.m. , Several matters concerning tne electric extensions were discussed in committee - , • In moving the adoption of the le- ' ports, Cr. Armstrong said it was necessary to do something of a ternporary nature as in 12 months time thev may be on the alternating euirent. Owing to ithe financial position i hey could not do much. Regarding the installation of meters, he contended meters were wanted, but thej had no monev to buy them with. It would be of no useful purpose putting in D.C. meters when they were going on to A.C. They had over 280 services at present and only had 196 meters. In view of the- fact that shortly there would be a 24-hour service he suggested an increase in the flat rate. This would be a reasonable proposition. A weakness would be shown if the flat rate was not increased. The borough watei works was going ahead by leaps and bounds When finance was available he urged upon the Finance Committee to purchase a few meters as more weie required. There was a leakage anti thev were labouring at -a distinct disadvantage. Electric energy was required to pump the, water and it ad cost money. They wanted to get a return for their outlay. Cr. Morrow seconded the motion which was carried. The matter of appointing a clerk to attend to electrical affairs was lef t in the hands of the town cierk. On the motion of the Mayor and Cr. Hamilton, the question of increasing the electric flat rate was referred Electrical Committee for serious consideration. Cr. Patterson opposed the proposal, con tending that if the Council dul not have meters, it had no right to send a recommendation to the committee to increase the flat rate. It was an imposition on people who end not have meters. He advised the Council to. purchase meters and put them in.

Lig ht. Po vver Jul V, 1918 . . £66 9 S £2 5 6 July, wi9 . . £86 1 9 £12 13 9 July, 1920 . . £111 1 2 £15 0 x Julv, 1921 . . £146 8 5 £23 11 0