POWER BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4582, 4 July 1923, Page 2

POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at Te Aroha yesterday. The chairman (Mr F. H. Claxton) presided over the following members: Messrs F. E. Flatt, P. Grace, W. E- GWilly, J. Pohlen, G. Howie, JMcCormick, J. Price, J. B. Thomas, F, M. Strange, and C. A. Arthur. The man-ager-secretary, Mr R. Sprague, and the Board’s engineers, Messrs Gauvain and McLeod, were also in attendance. TURUA STREET LIGHTS. The Turua Town Board wrote advising that it had opened a street lighting fund and wished to have electric light installed in the Turua township ar.ea with 200 c.p. lamps, with timing switch. The Town Board asked that the lamps should be installed as early as possible, as the roads were now particularly bad, and the large open drains made travelling on dark nights dangerous for all classes of traffic. The chairman said that five lamps had been erected* and that a further five lamps were being procured and would be installed very shortly. Lighting would be provided for the lamps as soon as the erection was completed, UNDERGROUND CABLES. The Telegraph Engineer, Auckland, wrote that as the telegraph lines were put under ground on account of erection of the power line, the Board must be responsible for the maintenance of the underground cable, and forwarding account for repairs to telephone 29D Turua. The chairman said he thought that this matter was apparently handled by some of the Department’s “heads or tails.” . The matter was referred to the Electric Power Boards Association for consideration at its forthcoming conference in Palmerston North. PATETONGA DISTRICT. Mr D. Hunter wrote that he was most anxious to know when the electric power would Reach Patetonga or Kaihere, as he would be using a 150 h.p, motor in a flaxmill he was erecting. J He did not think the .Board would have any difficulty in obtaining the necessary power for a line, and it would be one of the Board’s best districts for consumption. There were 47 farmers using milking machines. There were also several flaxmills in the district, and a sawmill. It was decided to send a canvasser into the district as soon as the weather permitted. Mr Willy asked which route would the line take when Patetonga was reticulated. Mr Gauvain said that part of the main scheme would be ,a line from Morrinsville to Tahuna to Patetonga to Kaihere to Waitakaruru, then from Waitakaruru to Paeroa to Te Aroha to Morrinsville. The line would be fed from Waikino to Paeroa and from Horahora to Morrinsville, and also to Te Aroha. APPLICATION FOR POWER. Mrs J. White, of Awaiti Road, Netherton, advised that she contemplated installing power in her milking shed. Before doing so, she stated, it would be necessary to sell the Anderson engine, and inquired of the Board if it would purchase the engine, the money to go towards the cpst of an electric motor. The chairman said that the Board was not purchasing second-hand engines. ALLOCATION OF POWER. The Public Works Department, electrical branch, Hamilton, writing in connection with the allocation of power, .stated that from the date of completion of the extensions to Horahoro power station the amounts of I power allocated should be charged to the following: Cambridge Power Board, 300 h.p.; Central Power Board, 600 h.p.; Te Awamutu Power Board, 600 h.p.; Thames Valley Power Board, 1500 h.p.; Hamilton Borough Council, 500 h.p.—Received. DAMAGE TO LAMPS“The high voltage at cur Ngatea factory has taken undue toll of electric lamps there,” wrote the N.Z. Dairy Co. “We tested the pressure at 9.30 p.m. on June 22, when this was found to be 280 volts. The wastage of lamps is very -high, and we shall be glad if you will reduce the pressure as soon as possible.” The engineers advised that the matter had been attended to. HARDWOOD POLES.' A C. Brown, Ltd., of Newcastle/ Australia, advised that 175 30ft poles had been despatched per the s.&. Kauri on June 14. It.was also advised that a further shipment of poles would be sent forward T>y the Louis Theriault. RETICULATION' OF WAIKINO. ifr Flatt asked what was being done with regard to reticulating Waikino. The chairman said the work would be carried out as soon as a sufficient number of hardwood poles arrived. CARTAGE BY SETTLERS. Mr Price said he did not think that settlers in any particular district should be asked to cart poles gratis. The Board should be prepared to pay a nominal amount to any settlers who carted poles. The chairman said that in some districts the settlers had voluntarily undertaken to cart poles free of charge so as to assist the Board and expedite its work. It was moved by Mr Strange, and seconded by Mr Pohlen, That the Board express its appreciation of the services rendered by settlers in assisting the Board during transportation difficulties caused through the bad state of roads. WAIHI RETICULATION. The Waihi Borpugh Council advised that consideration of the reticulation of the borough had been referred to its Hydro-electric Committee. kerepeehi canvass. Mr Willy asked it the canvass made had been satisfactory from the settlers from Kerepeehi to the corner of the Ngatea road.