ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4569, 28 May 1923, Page 4

ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

ANNUAL MEETING. MR CLAXTON REFLECTED CHAIRMAN. The annual meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at the Board’s office, Te Aroha, on Thursday last. The following members were present: Messrs F. H. Claxton, P. Grace, F. E. Flatt, W. EG. Willy, G. Howie, J. Pohlen, J. McCormick, J. Price, J. W. Anderson, J. 8.. Thomas, . F. M. Strange, C. Arthur, and the secretary-manager, Mr R. Sprague. The Board’s engineers, Messrs Gauvain and McLeod, were also in attendance. The secretary-manager occupied the chair, and asked for nominations for the position of chairman. Mr F. W. Anderson proposed that Mr F. H. Claxton be re-elected as chairman. Seconded by Mr F. E. Flatt. There being no further nominations Mr Claxton was declared elected, and took his seat amidst applause. Tn returning thanks for his re-elec-tion Mr Claxton said that he very much appreciated the honour the members had seen fit to again confer upon him.. It was Very gratifying to him to be elected unopposed. He first accepted the responsible position with some interpredation, but he was pleased to think that he had filled the position satisfactorily. Much of the success attained was. due to the clear and- concise programme that had always: been arranged by the secretarymanager. The chairman said that during his lengthy service on public bodies he could confidently say that he had never worked with a more loyal body of men. He was most grateful for the assistance and loyal co-operation the members had always accorded him. • They had all worked harmoniously, there had been no party, and no faction. They had all worked together in the common interest of advancing hydro-electricity in the Board’s area, and it was very pleasing to look back , with a certain degree of satisfaction on- the work accomplished during the past year. The chairman extended a hearty welcome to Mr W. E. G. Willy and trusted that, he would find his work interesting. He also congratulated Mr F. M. Strange on his return to the Board’s table. In returning thanks Mr Willy sail he was proud of his position, and he intended to work whole-heartedly to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Hauraki Plains ratepayers. He was put to' work for the good of the whole of the Board’s area as well as for his own particular, district. The chairman referred to the absence of one of their old members, Mr A. R. Robinson. He said that he would like the Board’s appreciation of the services rendered by Mr Robinson to be placed on record. Mr Robinson had been a valuable and hard-work-ing member of the Board, and he felt sure the members were sorry to lose him. SUB-COMMITTEES. following were re-elected to the special finance and executive subeommittees: Messrs Arthur, Thomas, Flatt, and the chairman. BROKEN INSULATORS. Considerable discussion took place over fhe cost of replacing damaged insulators on the Board’s lines. This item of expenditure was increasing at an alarming rate. Spine of the members were of the opinion that persons with pea rifles did as much damage to the insulators as did boys throwing stones at them. The Board decided to offer a reward for any information leading to the conviction of any person thus damaging the Board’s property, and it, was agreed that offenders should be made an example of. AWAITI-ORONGO SUPPLY. Mr Flatt asked how long it would

be before power was supplied at Awaiti and Orongo. Mr McLeod said that the transformers had been erected,, and he was in hopes that power would be aavilable very shortly now. KOPUARAHI ROAD. Mr Willy asked what was .delaying the work on Kopuarahi, Kerepeehi. and Ho'Ahia roads. He understood that the settlers had signed up and were anxious to have electricity. Mr Gauvain said that portion of the work in that area had been authorised, and that it would be completed within three months. WAIKINO RETICULATION. Mr Grace asked what was the position as regards the reticulation of Winkinp. Mr Gauvain said that the whole of the survey had been carried out and pole positions pegged. The Board was now awaiting the arrival ot poles from Australia before the work could be proceeded with. WALTAKARURU. Mr Willy said that he would like to know what the position was with regard to linking up Pipiroa and Waitakaruru. The chairman said that it was the Board’s policy tp complete the work between the Waihou and Piako rivers before moving the gangs to the other side. As-soon as this work was completed Waitakaruru work would be proceeded with. ORDINARY MEETING. Immediately following the annual meeting the Thames Valley Power Board held its ordinary meeting. TURUA TELEPHONE. F. V. Cutting, Orongo, wrote offering his residence in which tp house the Board’s telephone on Ferry Road, provided that the Board was prepared to allow him to use the ’phone free of charge.—Received. . ELECTRICITY FOR WAIHI. The Waihi Borough Council advised that it had been considering the question of the installation of electricity in the borough, and asked if the Board would consider a proposal that Waihi should join the Board’s district as an outer area. The Council pointed out that the transmission line crossed the main on its way to the mines, so that the cost of reticulating the more populous area of the town would not be very great. The Council possessed a gasworks which manufac- , lured 16,000>,000 cubic feet of gas per annum, and supplied 1000 consumers and 95 street lamps. The Council was now faced with the necessity of increasing the plant at its works, but before finally dealing with that matter it was anxious to consider the possibility of installing electricity, especially in the closer populated areas. The matter was referred tp the finance committee and engineers for a report. TELEPHONE APPARATUS. The Osborne Electric Co., Toronto, Canada, advised that they were shipping a quantity of high-tension protective telephone apparatus.—Received. Mr Gauvain said that these goods were badly needed by the Board. STREET LIGHTS. The secretary of the Putaruru Development League wrote asking for advice as to when the street lights for that township would be installed, and when the atuomatic switch for the lights would be provided. It was pointed out tha,t the switch seemednecessary, as the lights were sometimes burning all day.—Referred to the engineers. BOARD’S LOAN. In connection with the Board’s loan of £lOO,OOO from the Bank of New Zealand, the Board was advised that the first instalment of £10 1 ,000 could not possibly be settled before June 1.

It was requested tp, make arrangements for the first two instalments of £20,000 on June 1 and the balance of £5OOO on July I.—Received. A Wellington firm of solicitors advised that the first instalment of the loan, namely, £lo,ooo’, was to be advanced on October 1, and they wished the Board to arrange to have , a debenture for that amount forwarded to Wellington a few days before that date to enable same to be inspected and uplifted and the cheque sent to reach the Board on the date mentioned,—Referred to special finance committee. fn reply to a request from the Treasury, Wellington, the Board supplied particulars of its State Guaranteed Loan of £350,000. The Treasury, Wellington, acknowledged with thanks the receipt of the Board’s letter forwarding particulars of its State Guaranteed Loan for £3so,ooo—Received. REDUCTION SOUGHT. The secretary of the. Rising Sun Gold Mining Co. enclosed, the following communication from the manager : “We have only been using the power in February .and March, and our top load was only for a few days. Then it being cut, off was a considerable loss to us,, about £2O to £25. I understand that the Waihi Company gets the consideration.” The chairman said that the account for power supplied to this company was in arrears, and it was decided that the company should be asked to forward its cheque for the amount due, and the matter could then be gone into. It was pointed out that the Waihi Company was on a different footing to the Rising Sun, The matter was left in the hands of the engineers and manager to go further into. INFORMATION SOUGHT. The Grey Electric Power Board, recently formed, asked what arrangement the Thames Valley Board made to finance it during the initial stages. —The information had already been supplied. QUOTE FOR TRANSFORMERS. Messrs Turnbull and Jones, Ltd., quoted £1655 9s c.i.f. and e. for 26 transformers with oil and 25 per cent/ spare oil and also 4 spare brushings of each type.—'Received. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £6248 17s lOd were passed for payment.