ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 50, 23 May 1929, Page 10

ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

MR W. PR.ESS ELECTEISCHAIRMAN FOE ENSUING JfcERMf '[* A meeting of the HuttValley Electric

Power Board was held':Jon Thursday ,af-; , ternoon. Present Messrs-W. H.'Barberjl A. J. McCftrdy, W: H. Lawrence, A. J.

Hobbs, E. Windley, J. W. McEwah, L. Stewart, A.v Anderson, A. Walker andf W A Press. < •.

Stewart, A. Anderson/A. "Walker

The; secretary reported that the Ford car stolen from the works had been found at Palmerston North. The Atlas Insurance Company' had repaired the damage and returned the car.

The chairman welcomed* the members who had been returned. It was gratifying to know that all the members^ had been 3! re-elected. It showed that there must be general satisfaejtion with the workings of the Board. ' ..

Mr Windley acknowledged the welcome extended on behalf of the elected

members.

The Public Works Department wrote stating that in connection with the removal of power poles in the Taita Gorge they were prepared to pay half cost, without prejudice.

It was decided to deal with.the matter in committee.

The Laykold Ltd., wroting drawing attention to the damage done to paths by erection of poles in Kensington Park Estate, 9 , ■ \:- y Mr Hobbs said that the Board should repair all damage done.

The chairman, stated:that the damage was very slight. ' ;

It was resolved to make good the dam-

The Public Works Department wrote stating that they could not depart from their previous decision to allow a rebate due to the stoppage of current It was resolved, to write stating that in the Board's opinion^the cause of such stoppages is due to- the type of insulators used.

The tender of tile Alliance Electrical

Company for 2300 gallons of transfornpLer oil for £158 2s 6d was accepted.

,The engineer reported that the Texas Company had signed the required guarantee and a double;' construction for 11000 volts, but single circuits for the temporary 6600 volts is being erected. 2sTew street lamps have been erected on the Stellin Estate., and Fry's Lane. Six street lights were erected in Upper Hutt. The number of consumers to date was 5387, electric ranges 861, cowplaints 49, water heaterji'"6o6. % ■

The engineer estimated 7the cost of providing six lamps for the Petone ramp at £120 Is 3d.

It was resolved to notify the Petone Borough Council that the .board is prepared to carry out the work provided the Petone Council paid half the cost. FINANCIAL POSITION The following; financial statement for the year ending, March 31st, 1929 was: submitted:- — Capital Account: The details of exv--~= penditure for the year .show v that the v sum of £36121 2s 5d was expended. This as compared with, .the.^ jgreyious year (£45268 7s 9d) shows a decrease of £9147 5s 4d. The account shows the balance at- credit ofv the account 'to be^ £52,115' 3s Id but this is not all available for construction as in the original loan proposal a sum was.sejb aside solely for / advances, to consumers and-with the additional 10 per cent already raised amounts to £38500, leaving for construction £13615 3s Id. The whole of the loan money authorised has been_, raised with the exception of £30,000 and there is also the, 10 per cent on the £150,000 which can be raised (£15,000) so thiLt the total amount of loan money at present available and which may be,raised* i; \ for construction work is £58,615 3s Id. % - Advances: During the year the. amount 1 C. of advances to consumers for -installa'|U tious was £2810 Is 2d^while the'amount rq&f repaid duiing the same period was '^£7419 16s lid. • ''•■■V£••'.-'■ ■; ■"'■-' • M Revenue: On the revenue side an in- "" ,*?<srease of £16247 17s is shown compared |witli the previous year, equal-to 27. , rceat. Jf Expenditure: Maintenance of lines, "? substations, plant and buildings was ? (S fia more than last year, an inerM^?,of £43i per cent. Power purchasUt.. . .^^: fl£iEfesie Government cost £8332 Us

Administration: The cost of general^ administration charged to capital account shows a decrease of 8.4 per cent and that charged against revenue an increase!" of 7.5 per. cent so that this charge has not materially increased. Payments "to'consumers on account of range installations for the year amounted to £435 Its 9cl mkfeihg "the total amount paid under this heading * to date £2435 19s 2d. Although the nett profit for the year Compared with' the previous year, shows a decrease of .£725 Is 4d this is more than counterbalanced "by the /increased amount of depreciation set aside this year out of profits, namely as against £7935 (increase £2217 \. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN • Before retiring from the office* of chairman Mr Barber niade the the folio ving statement: — Gentlemen, I desire to take this op-, portunity of expressing the pleasure it has given me to preside over the deliberations of this Board during the past year and to thank the members for their courtesy and for the assistance they have rendered in conducting the^ business brought, before us. It lias been gratifying to me to find that the business of the Board has been discussed, and dealt "with, in a thoroughly impartial manner, and that every member of the Board, has been actuated by highideals, and a desire to do that which appeared to him, to be in the Jjest interest of an-undertaking, tha|; has grown beyond the expectations of the Board andls all those, associated with it. One might have anticipated a very rapid increase in the domestic load, but, I venture to say that few, if any, of us ever expected that the industrial load would develop to such an extent in so short a time. The operations of the Board were .based on' a 5 year periol^—that period has expired and a number of , contracts, - including streets, are at an. end. It will therefore cd. In dealing with all such requests the Board should keep in mind the be the duty of the Board to consider these matters-at an early date either, by re: newing or entering into new agreements with our large consumers. , "" During the year the continual in^ crease in the number:. of'consumers^ has made frequent alterations'in the size of copper/ and of transformers, necessary*to maintain": the J voltage in' different districts. , . ' A drain !6n the resources of the Board, particularly in the. Hujbt\" Valley, is the closer settlement which is gping on and Ihe resultant demand for reticulation. The total capital expenditure for the year was £36,121 2s 5d as compared with £45,2G8 7s 9d foT the previous Vf >a^^jgMMja'wy^yg^ao:2 .per cent.

as available on. the balance sheet (£52,115 3s Id), £35,500 is* earmarked for advances to consumers and trading,. leaving £13,615 available for further immediate extensions. It is suggested, that steps should be taken to obtain-authority, either by Order-in-Gouncil or Act" of Parliament to utilise .. portion of the held for advances to consumers /so that if niay be, available for construction work.

No arrangements have yet been made to raise the balance of the last £150,000 authorised by the ratepayers, of which £120,000 has been received.. This £30,000 together with the 10 per cent on the £150,000' makes the total available to be raised £45,000, and this should be put in hand, when the, total available for future construction work would be £58,40.9.

The, revenue showed an increase of 27 per cent over the previous year with a 17 per cent in the number of consumers, but the cost of power purchased went up 50.6 per cent. This is an extraordinary increase for cost of current and^ should certainly be strictly inquired into by, .the responsible officers. - ( Expenditure on maintenance must from now on show an increase each year and strict supervision is necessary to keep this item down to a minimum . Generally, the position of 'the Board shows that any reduction in the unit charge at the. present time is inadvisable. That,' although a profit is shown, it is by no means commensurate with the capital involved and shows that the consumers as a, whole are obtaining the benefit..

1 In corifelusion, I wish to express my thanks to the staff for their readiness at all times to supply any information dei sired. Although at v one time there apI jgeared to be a want of discipline and ack of co-operation "amongvlsome of thfe "

members, I am pleased to say that it no longer exists, and. I.think I am justified, in stating- that the staff realise their responsibilities, /and are endeavouring to discharge their duties in a manner satis-, i factory to the Board. My thanks, are al-"j so due to the Press for their fair reports of meetings and the general assistance.. which such support gives to the undertak- < ing. ■ ' ■ " I

Mr Barber then proposed Mr Press for seconded by Mr McCurdy. Mr Blackley proposed Mr Barber. He considered that a chairman should have two years of office. Mr Hobbs seconded. On a ballot being taken Mr, Press was elected chairman. ! A hearty vote,of thanks was tendered; to Mr Barber for his valuable services as chairman of the Board.