FRANKLIN ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 671, 4 October 1921, Page 5

FRANKLIN ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BODIES; ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. An en thusiastic meeting of representatives of the various local todies located in the prosmseti htanklin Electric Power District, was held on T%tiiclay last, when theie were preset.t Messrs W. Claud Moti- n (chairman), E. C. Cuff, B. Charles, J. Dean, H. Wilcox, J. W. Woods, J. R. Lawry (Franklin County Council), J. Routly ;(Mayor), J. Patterson (Pukekohe Borough Council), Dynes Fulton (chaiiman), G. Arrowsmith, J. B. Sim, A. H. Tapper, clerk (Tuakau Town Board), J. W. Taylor (WhangamariikO Road Board), P. Riley-Taylor (Onewhero Riding Raglan County), H. Dyer* and C. Walter (Onewhero). The convenor of the conference (Mr W. Claud Motion), presided, and Mr Alan P. Day, County Clerk, acted as secretary.

The chairman stated that the meeting had been called at the request of the Tuakau Town Board, and adjoining local bodies, to discuss the advisability of applying to the Government to erect a sub-station at or near Pukekohe, for the purpose of tapping the main transmission line from Hora Hora to Auckland. He Jhad instructed the County clerk o communicate with the chief electrician as to the possibility of a substation at or ntar Pukekohe but unfortunately a reply had not been received. He also asked for any information that could be supplied regarding route and when a supply of electricity would be available.

1 Mi' Fulton said that Tuakau Town /Board had written on the subject and ! had received a reply stating that the matter would be looked into. Mr Motion said he believed the ' line going through to Auckland was ’to supply Aucklaind only. He thought it advisable to uirge upon 1 the Government the advisability of erecting a sub-station here, as quite a number of people in the outlyingdistricts required electric energy. If they knew there was. a possibility of a sub-station here, the various local bodies could move in the matter of linking up. If a Power Board was formed it would operate over a large area. A loan for reticultion would have to be raised, and a rate would have to be struck over the area, and he wondered with the high rate of interest if the ratepayers would favour it. ~lt was on this particular reason that the County Council had granted certain rights to a Waiuku company. Money was hard to .raise. The Waiuku company finds the money and only the people who wanted power paid for it. Under a Power Board, consumers and non-consumers had to pay to proyide interest and sinking fund. The question was whether the ratepayers were prepared to go in for it or not. He was of the opinion that the present was not an oppoi’.tune time to go in for a big scheme • and borrow money. Mr Fulton said that they could do very little at this meeting, in fact they could do nothing until they were in receipt of definite information. He had heard that from Hora Hora 2000 horse power was available, and that this was going through to Auckland, and was only for day consumption. They wanted to know what power was available before they decided on anything of a definite nature. His dis- ! trict and the three Ridings over the Waikato river in the Raglan County were vdry anxious to get power. If possible they wanted a breaking-down station somewhere in a central locality. He was of the opinion that the rate of interest on a loan would he high. He was certain that if it was brought about, money could be feuftd, and the scheme in a short time would be a self-supporting .one, and they would be better off than they were to-day even with the 1 high rate of interest ruling. He was afraid that in the absence of information they could not do much

at present. Mr Fulton asked with regard to the Franklin Electric. Supply Company if any price per cent, had been fixed, over and above the valuation at which the Power Board would take the\ company’s interests over. He that a minimum price had been fixed.

Mr Motion: Yes. After 10 years at 10 per cent.., and after 20 years 20 per cent, over the valuation. A going concern was worth something as against having money idle ana Jiang up for say 3 years until the scheme was put into operation. IV; Routly said re understood from his engineer that provision had been made for the establishment of breaking-down station a few yards fre m the present Pukekohe power station. The Bo:ough Council had been discussing the question of a fceVier supply <f curn r.t for Pi.kehe, and one pent before them Wes that it would be same time bcice

the Government power availaole fo: Pukekohe. He .: <•' ardea it as .pc- to obtain s.;> yJy from Ire Government scheme within easy distance. The Borough was making provision for a supply, and there was a possibility of Buckland and Tuakau being supplied from the Borough plant. The financial question was difficult for the Borough, and he wondered whether Tuakau and Buckland could make arrangements for finance if power was forthcoming. In about three weeks’ time the Borough Council, he hoped, would be in a position to put the matter befoie Tuakau and Buckland, and if so he hoped to supply them for the coming winter. In answer to Mr Fulton, Mr Routly said he was informed that the Government scheme provides for a breaking-down station near the present power house, but he was not in a position to say whether the chief central breaking-down station would be at Pukekohe or not. This break-ing-down station, he mentioned, might be for the Borough supply. Mr Wilcox said that if the Borough could supply the areas mentioned a vast area would not be supplied. He was inclined to think the larger scheme was the better proposition. Mr Routly said the question was puiely one of time. If Waiuku came in and supplied an area, Pukekohe could do the same. Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Mr Taylor (Whangamarino) said they knew definitely there was no extra power from Hora Hora. He favoured the big Arapuni scheme in preference to the local schemes. He urged upon them to go in for one big scheme and drop the local schen.es. Mr Motion said it might be ten years before power from Arapuni would be available. There was a question as to whether the ground would hold the water sufficient for the darn. The river would be dammed for 20 miles, The site was in the earthquake area. Engineers could bui'd a dam to hold the water easily enough, but at any time an earthquake might cause the dam to burst, and the result would he disastrous. Engineers w T ere very dubious 1 about the big scheme. He mid been discussing with the Minister of Pudl’C Works (Hon. J. G. Contes) the posshfility of using the slack coal at Huntly for generating electricity, and whs informed that sufficient electricity could be generated to supply Auckland for less cost than the interest on the money for the oig scheme. This was indue! very cheap fuel. They wanted the smaller sclcii.es to be m .readiness to ns linked up with the big one. He thought they shou.d uige and endeavour to get any available power from Hora Hora because it would be an acquisition to the whole district, A subsidiary scheme was advisable in case of a bread-down, and it would be an advantage to have small local schemes as a stand by. He therefoie favoured the Huntly scheme until the Arapuni one was put into operation. It would act as a subsidiary in case of the big scheme giving way. It would be a serious thing if a biesk-down occurred, and they did not have a stand by.

Mr Fulton said Tuakau would not entertain the proposal oi the Pukekohe Boroukh. Areas outside of these places wanted power. They should urge to get the falls across the river harnessed for Tuakau and Onewhero, etc. He was looking for a broader scheme than that of linking up Pukekohe, Tuakau, Buckland and Waiuku.

Mr Routly said he only suggested that the Pukekohe Borough would link up with Buckland and Tuakau, to tide them over until the supply from Arapuni was available. Mr Motipn suggested passing a resolution urging upon the Government to consider the advisability of having erected a breaking-down station at or near Pukekohe. Mr Arrowsmith said the meeting was convened for the purpose of discussing the advisability oi forming a Power Board for Franklin. Until •this Power Board was formed they were not in a position to accept power from the Government. If there was any surplus power from Hora Hora, there was no reason why Auckland should get it before any of the other districts. Thames Valley, Te Awamutu and Hamilton were being supplied, and. there was no reason why this district should not be supplied. iHe suggested the clerk writing to the authorities and ascertain the cost of the power, how much was available and when it would be available. He suggested the circulation of a petition to be signed by latepayers urging that a Power Board bb formed. This meeting could affirm the principle of the formation of a Power Board, and then a petition circulated.

Mr Motion endorsed the affirmation of the principle of the formation of a Power Board, but suggested that it would be a good scheme to also pass a resolution urging upon the Government the desirability of eiec-

ting a breaking-down power station at or near Pukekohe.

Mr Routly moved that the clerk write to the chief electrician and ascertain if the power to Auckland from Hora Hora was a day, night, oi a continuous load. If there was any available power for Franklin, and if so, when could it be supplied? Mr T. W. Woods seconded.

It was pointed out by one delegate that the electricity going to Auckland would be a night load only. The motion was carried.

Mr D. Fulton moved that this meeting affirms the principle of the formation of a Power Board foi Franklin. Mr Routly seconded.

All delegates were in favour of having electricity as soon as possible. They were unanimous that it would be a boon and a blessing. The motion was carried.

Mr Taylor (Whangamarino) suggested setting up a sub-committee to collect data, and to call a meeting at some future date.

Messrs Motion, Routly ana Fulton were appointed.. It was also decided to invite one of the Government engineers to attend the next meeting in order that delegates could get some definite information.

It was pointed out that so far in Thames Valley the charges for power had been 9d for light and 5d for power, without concessions. Mr Motion suggested urging upon the authorities to proceed with the subsidiary scheme at Huntly until such time as power was available from Arapuni.

Mr Cuff thought insufficient interest was being taken in the proposed Huntly scheme. The coal dust was cheap and useful fuel. He gave an instance of where the coal consumption had been 30 per cent, less through using slack, as against steam coal. He moved, that the Government be urged to erect a plant at Huntly to generate electricity by waste coal. Mr Arrowsmith seconded. —Carried.

A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.