POWER BOARD WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4365, 13 January 1922, Page 1

POWER BOARD WORKS.

ENGINEERS’ REVIEW.

The engineers to the Thames Valley Electric Power Board (Messrs Gauvain and McLeod), reviewed the month’s work as follows at the Board meeting on Tuesday: We beg to r.epprt on the progress ofl the work since the last board meeting on November 22. HAURAKI PLAINS SECTION. The' double circuit 11,000 volt line has been wired .from Paeroa to Neth.erton School, and a low tension line also erected on the same poles for supplying consumers. We still await the permit from the Public Works Department to lay the 11,000-volt submarine cables in the river bed for the.crossing of the Waihon River at Puke, and until this permit is received it is not possible to couple up the Hauraki Plains see-i tion. The Public Works Department has now advised- us that the matter has been referred to the Post and Telegraph Department, and we have again urged upon- the Public Works Department the necessity of granting the permit at an early date. A 400-volt line is being constructed on the Rangiora West Road. The survey of the various lines in this area is well in hand. A consignment of poles has recently arrived at Kopu, and arrangements have been made to land them on the Plains. THAMES SECTION. flood progress has been made on the erection of the main 11,000-volt line towards Thames, and poles ars i erected as far as Hikutaia.

Side roads, extending from the main road to the river, are being pegged out, and both high and low tension lines are being run down them to supply the various farms. PAEROA SECTION.

During Christmas holidays an oilswitch and lightning arrester gear have been erected on the Paeroa switching tower the Thames line connected up to same. Time switch-i es have also been installed for controlling the street lighting in 'the Borough of Paeroa. The Waikino-Paeroa 11.000-. volt line was inspected during the Christmas holidays and all necessary adjustments made.

Oil switchbs for controlling the .11,000-volt lines from the Waikino sub-station have been installed. . TE AROHA'-MORRINSVILLE SECTION-

The 11,000-jvolt line from Bowler’s Road to Herriesville was made alive on December 23, and the section from Herriesville to Waitoa on December 24. - The 400-volt line on the Te Kowana~ Road was made alive on December 24, and consumers cpnnected up the same day/ s

A supply of power was given to the Waitoa dried milk factory, starting at 12.30 pan. on December 24, and the plant is running satisfactorily.

Transformer stations have been erected at Herriesvllle, junction g£ Waihou and Clay roads, Waihou township, Chudley Road, and Waitoa dried milk factory. For the past month practically no pole erection work has been done on this route, the Board’s men being engaged in.the alterations to the Post and Telegraph Department’s lines. WAIHOU-WAITOA SECTION. Poling has been completed from south of No. 2 Road to Wiseman’s Road, and the poling on No. 2 Road has been completed. The wiring of these sections is delayed on account of the non-arrival of 3300->volt insulators. The gang on this section has been employed for a considerable time on unloading and distributing poles. MORRINSVILLE. 1116 necessary plans have been submitted to the Public Works Department for the use of bare wires in certain parts of the borough. The whole of the lines in the borough have been pegged out and poles have been distributed. MATAMATA SECTION.

The main 11,000-volt line 'has been extended from Matamata to Waharoa, and this line was made alive on De cember 22, at 5.15 p.m. Power is he-< ing supplied to the Waharoa dried milk factory. A low tension line has been erected on this section, and a number of consumers coupled up.

Work is being continued in the Matamata Town, and consumers coupled up from time to time. The Board’s men have also been engaged for some time assisting the Post and Telegraph Department in the necessary alterations to their lines on the Matamata-Waharoa section. PERIA SECTION. Poling has been started from Hopkins’ corner and about four miles of pole line erected. This will be a 3300-volt line, and 400nvolt lines will be carried on the same poles. HINUERA-OKOROIRE-TIRAU SECTION. A start has been made on the erection of this line from Hopkins corner. For the first two and a half miles 11,000, 3300, and 400-volt circuits will be carried on the same poles. The poles have been erected for a distance of about six miles from Hopkins’ corner and are npw near Okorpire station.

A 100-K.V.A. transformer, 11,000 to 3300 volts, with the necessary switch gear, has been erected at Hopkins’ corner. All switch gear on the route between Horahora and Matamata has been so arranged that a minimum of trouble will be experienced in makCpntinued in next Column*

Continued from previous Column, ing further connections to this main line. GENERAL. Work has been somewhat delayed owing to non-delivery pf material, chiefly 11,000 and 3300-volt insulators and copper wire. A consignment of 11,000-volt insulators has now arrived, and we have sufficient copper wire in hand for present requirements, whilst a further lot has been on oi)der for some time. We still await delivery of 3300-volt insulators, but hope to have some in hand shortly. All transformers to hand have been tried out at Ruakura sub-station with satisfactory results. A few porce-\ lain bushings and one cover have been broken in transit, and we have advised the agents and made the necessary claims. Two transformers have broken down under service, and

we' recommend that these be forwardr ed to the Public Works Department sub-station at Ruakura for an independent report, so that in case there is any indication of inferior workmanship or material a .claim may be put in to the makers.