THE POWER BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4364, 11 January 1922, Page 2

THE POWER BOARD.

JANUARY MEETING. The January meeting of the TliamoS Valley Electric Power Board was held on Tuesday. Present: Messrs F. M. Strange (chairman), C. A. Arthur, J. Bell, J. B. Thomas, J. Price W. J. McCormick, J.i Pohlen, J. C. Miller\F. E. Flatt, F. H. Claxton, and Pj and the secretary-manager (Mr. R. Sprague), and the engineers (Messrs Gauvain and McLeod). POLES ON THE PLAINS. In answer to Mr Flatt, the chair- . man said about half the poles in the last shipment were sent ip the Hauraki Plains. The idea was to get the poles up before the weather broke.. . Mr Miller: I think the line to Turua will be a good revenue-producing one. I move that the NethertonTurua line be the first one to be put up. . On the suggestion of the chairman, it was agreed that, the matter be one for arrangement between the engin- : eers.and the local member. - , "I am keenly interested in push-'' Ing the work to Netherton and other parts of the Plains,” said Mr. Flatt. “Dp you think, Mr Chairman, that two gangs will be enough ?” Mr - Gauvain explained that two gangs were as much as materials and supplies could be kept up to. Mr Flatt: With two gangs you will take three months to put in the 1500 poles necessary to reach Ngatea. , “I think the manager-secretary and I will fix the matter up all right,? interposed Mr Miller. —Laughter. “ 364 poles are being taken to Tu- r rua,” said the manager. It was remarked that it might be; found advisable to stop the work oil, the Thames Road and proceed with ’ 1 the Plains work, as the former coul,L be done during wet weather but the\ Plains could not. > •; “Have we any plans of the Turua?. section ?” asked Mr Flatt. '_. - “We have them, but it is not ad-' visable to bring them to the office until the new offices are built/’ re- F plied‘Mr Gauvain. ; PLANS AND PLAIN Mr Price said the foremen were ■ not supplied with plans, and that therefore they sometimes put poles in in the wrong places, and they had to be taken up again. This sorb of thing had been going on • right through the piece. Mr Gauvain replied that much ol Mr Price’s strictures were well beyond the mark. A little trouble had been experienced at Matamata, but all other sections were being worked by plans in the hands of the foremen“We are the only Board in the North Island who are supplying these sectional detailed plans. Mr Price: The Public Works Department supplies plans, showing the position of each pole, the transformers, number, height, etc. Mr Gauvain added that the Boards’ plans were very fu.ll, containing all. necessary data, roads, gullies, hills,

trees, A BUSINESS SYSTEM. Mr Flatt said he wanted to. see the engineers give an estimate of what any given stretch of work would ng|| so that the Board would be compare the estimate with the actjmffl cost. This was his reason for ow|g| ing up the subject under discusslMg ORGAINSATION. Mr Price gave notice of motion he would move at next meeting a committee be set up to the Board’s outside work. The chairman explained that-am|| special meeting arrangements been made for consultation andlMi operation between the manager|ai|l|| the engineer in respect to all being taken in hand. In the pasfraH| manager had been tied to the of|®|| but it had been arranged that onflH| the officials should act for him office when Mr Sprague • was:|MH around the district. CONTRACT WORK. , Mr Thomas favoured the lettin|H| work by contract where feasibl&aiMM was pleased to hear the let some of the work of on the Plains by contract. « The chairman said that, unsHß nately 1 , certain pole-erecting contract was a disgrace to the BoMU A motion, to the effect that all wKm that could be satisfactorily doneaM contract should be so carried out.wH| .passed. ;