ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4490, 10 November 1922, Page 4

ELECTRIC POWER.

THAMES VALLEY BOARD. NOVEMBER MEETING. Tire November meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at Te Ar.oha on Tuesday last, Mr F. H. Claxton presiding. Other members present were Messrs J. Pohlen, C. A. Arthur, J. B. Thopias, A. R. Rqbinson, J. Miller, J. Bell,. J. W. Anderson, and P. Grace.

Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Messrs J. Price, J. McCormick, and. F. E. Flatt. The Land Officer, New Zealand Railways, Wellington, advised that the annual rental for each set of power wires erected over the railway had now been reduced from £1 to one peppercorn.

The Turua Town Board's clerk inquired for a quotation for ipstaMihg, supplying and maintaining from one to ten lights in the Board’s district. —lnformation supplied by the manager.

'.The Morrinsville town clerk wrote re the Board’s claim for £9 19s 5d for replacing street Rights in Morrinsville. In three months 29 out of 40 Tights had had to be replaced, and his council considered this wastage abnormally heavy. One lamp had had to be replaced three times in 25 days.

The manager explained that he had replied, pointing out that each night the burning time averaged about 11 hours per night. Thus the average hours of lighting per lamp was 1890 hours', whereas the makers’ guarantee was only 1000 hours. Mr Thomas said one . particular light had had to be renewed within a day or two of installation. Was the voltage to blame ? The engineer did not think so. The probable cause Of failure was vibration. Best quality lamps were used. Th,e engineer said at Paeroa the average replacement was only about one per week. An inspection was being" made of the faulty areas at Morrinsville with a view to locating the cause of tile trouble. An Electrical contractor at Rotorua, who had done some wiring work in the Board’s district .and who was notified that, his’ temporary license would be cancelled, inquired why he had noc been notified of the examinatioh dates at Hamilton so that he could sit for his wireman’s license. He claimed to have exceptionally good credentials. —The manager's .action in the matter was approved. The district electrical engineer, Public Works Department, advised that the Waihou sub-station Ihjui been practically complete for some time past, and stating that it was proposed to put it. in operation on January 1 next. One man would be in charge o,f the sub-station, and would be avail-* able at all times in case of breakdown. He suggested that the Boaru provide relief; for that man one day per week, and on 18 working days (his annual holiday), the Board to send out a lineman to patrol from the sub-station until he met the Department's lineman.

Writing later on the same subject the official stated that it. was uhlike'y that’ the standard rates and the

additional point ofi supply would be reconsidered by the Department, as suggested. The £4OO additional charge for an additional point of supply was considerably less' tlian the annual charges on the additional!' expenditure necessary to provide the point of supply. The manager said the cost to the Board for labour would be about £125. The chairman said the supervision would be of benefit to the Board- He thought the Board could provide a man for relieving duties, but could not agree that it was a fair thing to expect the Board to bear the cost of his services. Mr Pohlen thought the Board had to pay quite enough now for the supply of power. The district telegraph engineer, Post and Telegraph Department, wrote pointing out that, contrary to regulations, the Board’s employees had disconnected telephone wires at Tatuanui when wiring up homesteads and left the telephones disconnected for as long as 40 hours. Such action was quite irregular. Notification must be made to the postmaster of the exchange concerned, and he would see that any alterations! necessary were carried out by the Department’s linesman,‘the labour and other ex-t penses involved being chargeable to the Power Board. —The manager stated that he had circularised all foremen to comply with the Department s requirements'. The Public Trustee telegraphed on October 26 that he was arranging with the Crown Law Office draughtsman to prepare a clause for insertion in the “Washinp-up Bill,” validating the temporary investment of the Board’s funds with the Public Trust Office.

Mr E. Bodmin, Morrinsville, wrote objecting to the, location of; a support pole on his Tatuanui farm without his sanction. Had the ppje been ptaced near the fence he would not have Objected. He added: “I understand it was the custom of your Board to consult owners before placing poles on their property. Kindly have the matter attended to.”

The manager said the matter had been attended to, Mp Bodmin had been communicated .with before the work was commenced. . The district electrical engineer, Public Works Department, forwarded copies of the proposed agreement between the Board and the N.Z. Cooperative Dairy Co., Ltd., respecting supplj’ of power to the Waitoa factory The agreement called f;or, a minimum annual payment of £175. — The Board’s seal is to be attached. It was decided to purchase motor cycles for the line inspectors at Pae■roa, Morrinsville, and Tirau. On the suggestion of the chairman the engineers, manager, and himself were appointed to report to the next meeting on the subject of providing telephones at intervals adjacent to main lines, as recommended by the manager.

Messrs Gregg and Eccleston, Piarere, wrote re ground wires from the trans.fo.mcr on. their property, pointing put that the wires were not burled deep enough to permit of ploughing operations, and asking that the wires be placed at least. 12in deep.—The manager reported that the request had been attended to.