ELECTRICITY SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 5

ELECTRICITY SERVICE

P.B. POWER BOARD BRIDGE-LIGHTING PLAN TR ANSFORMERS BOUG HT To-day’s meeting of the Poverty Bay Elc’ctric-Power Board dealt with a number of matters of general interest, including certain arrangements to meet, the changed circumstances brought about by the war. Difficulties of the supply of electrical materials, due partly to exchange restrictions and partly to the international situation, were among the subjects discussed. Those present were Messrs. F. R. Ball, chairman, H. H. Dc Costa, Chas. Matthews, C. W. Izod, S. 11. Phillips, J. E, Benson, J. H. Hall, T. Corson, M T. Trafford, B. J. Holdsworth, and C. E. Mills, with Mr. R. P. Baigent, managing-secretary, and Mr. P. Matthewson, engineer to the board. The finance committee reported that it had dealt with a letter from the Gisborne Borough Council, in respect of the lighting of the Peel street and Gladstone road bridges, the engineer having given details of the proposed installation and the costs and revenue involved. The committee recommended the board to advise the council that at present the board was restricting its operations to essential work, and that in the meantime the matter of bridge lighting must be held over. Mr. Hall expressed the hope that this work would be completed in time for the centennial festivities next year, if not before. He felt that the town would have very successful festivities, and that the outlay on the bridge lighting would help lo create the correct atmosphere. Limited Resources For New Work The chairman commented that he hoped the work might be undertaken before the centennial. The hold-up might be temporary, but it was not possible to undertake the work at present. It was pointed out that the necessary lamps would have to be imnorted, and that there might be some difficulty about that. The chairman mentioned that the board’s capital resources for new work were limited, at the moment. The engineer slated that it would br possible to mount suitable poles on the bridges to carry lamps similar to those now used for street lights. Tire lamps themselves were not yet available, however.

Referring to the cost of the new installation, Mr. Ball stated that the effect of the present proposal was that the Power Board would be spending £2OO, and losing £2O in revenue.

Mr. Hall commented that it was merely “taking the money out of one pocket and putting it in the other,’ 1 but other members contested _ this view, and emphasised the board's obligations to its consumers. The chairman, however, assured Mr. Hall that the board was fully prepared to “do its bit” so long as the Borough Council was reasonable in its attitude. The committee's recommendation was adopted. The finance committee recommended the acceptance of the tender of 'A. D. Riley and Company, Limited, for the 'supply of transformers needed for the town 'block, the price being £1238, plus tax.

Engineer’s Report

The engineer reported that the maximum half-hourly demand on the Public Works Department for August was 279 G k.v.a., as against 2520 k.v.a. in August, 1938. The maximum halfhourly demand or the board's system was 3772 k.v.a., an increase of 9.0 per cent. The board purchased 1,541,600 units, and manufactured 35,370 units during the month, the total of 1,57 G- . units showing an increase of 14.36 per cent. The'work on the aerodrome deviation was continued during the month, and was now almost completed, the engineer added. Other minor works were being carried on, including a deviation of the main line at Kaitaratahi to avoid a road reconstruction job.

The engineer’s report was adopted.

The board confirmed the action oi the chairman in instructing the executive officers to purchase four heavy transformers from a New Zealand board which was enlarging its voltage and had a number of 6GOO-volt transformers to dispose of The transformers would be needed bv the Poverty Bay board, and possibly would not be available from other sources. The amount involved was £232.