POWER BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4596, 10 August 1923, Page 4

POWER BOARD.

MEETING AT TE AROHA. . REPORTS SUBMITTED. The following statements were submitted at the Thames Valley Electric Power Board meeting at Te Aroha on Tuesday last: — ENGINEERS’ REPORT. Thames Section. —The pole erection and high-tension wiring of the 11,000volt Kauaeranga line was completed on July 28. The switching structure, on the main Paeroa-Thames line, for controlling the Kauaeranga section, is now being erected, and will be completed in a few days. Waikino-Paeroa. — The 50-k.v.a. transformer station opposite Joughin’s. quarry, and the low tension wiring, are completed and ready for supplying power. Hauraki Plains Section. —The higli and low tension wiring on Orongo Soldier Settlement road is completed. On the north section, Kopu-Kopu.t-rahi, the high and low tension wiring was finished during the month. The 11,000-volt. Turua-Orongo line is finished and ready for livening up from the Turua transformer. Five street lights were put into service at Turua, on July 4, and a 50k.v.a. transformer has been erected. The low tension line was extende I half a mile along Rangiora Road and put into service during the month. A high tension telephone was installed at Turua on July 19, and one in the Ngatea depot on July 20'. Both telephones are in satisfactory operation, and will be of great use in the general control of this area. Maungateparu-iTauhei.—This 3300volt line has been wired for both high and low tension for a distance cf about” 1% miles, Services are now being connected at the Maungateparu end. and as soon as these are completed the high tension line will be continued through to Tauhei. Three transformers, one 10 and two 25-k.v.a. have been erected on the main line, and are in commission. - Morrinsville-Motumaoho —Poling on this section has been completed for a distance of three miles from Morrinsville, and all poles required for the jnain line distributed. Kereone.—A further supply of poles required for this route has arrived, and they are being carted out. Ngarua Road.—A 25-k.v.a. transformer has been connected up at the corner of Diagonal and Ngarua roads. From this point approximately two miles of low tension wiring has been completed and all service connections made. This section will be made alive within the next few days. . , Manawaru. —Baker’s Road section was completed about the middle of July and made alive on July 26. Three miles of pole line have been erected on Waghorn’s Road, and a start has been made with the poling of Alexandra Road. On the Shaftesbury line the high tension circuit has been wired, and wiring of the low tension circuit is now in hand. Metering equipment.—The new metering equipment has been installed at the Waitoa and Waharoa factories and in the Te Aroha substation. The equipment has already been installed at the Thames substation,. so that all points which are being supplied , with power on the 1 maximum demand basis are now equipped with complete metering apparatus. Matamata-Te Aroha. —This main 11,000-volt line, which runs via Manawaru, is now and forms a second connecting link between the northern and southern parts of the Board’s area.. The other main line connecting these areas runs from Matamata to Waitoa, along the Ngarua road. In the event of a break--down of the Government main line ,o Waikino, the Board is now in the position of being able to supply power direct from the Horahora power station to as far north as Te Aroha,. and even Paeroa. Any portion of the area north of this must of necessity be dependent on the Government main line to Waikino, or on the arrangements which the department has made to supply power from the Grand Junction Go’s, steam plant in the event of a breakdown on the Government line. Okauia.—About 2% miles of poles on this 330'0-volt line have been erected, and high tension wiring on the first section of the line has been co?npleted for a distance of about 1% miles. Rotorua Road. —A number of poles have been distributed on this 11,000volt line, and the work of cross-arm-ing has commenced., Maungatautari.—The four points of supply, namely, Judd’s Read, Walcroft’s, McVicar’s, and Watson’s,, were connected to the Public Works Department 11,000-volt line on July 31. at Judd’s Road and made alive on at Wudd’s Road and made alive .on the 31st, and a 5-k.v.a. transformer at Walcroft’s was livened up on the same day. Two 7%-k.v.a. transformers will shortly be erected at McVicar’s and Watson’s. MANAGER’S. REPORT. The Lois Theriault arrived at Kopu during the month and commenced discharging poles on the 25th, completing same on Friday last, August 3. The sizes were 24ft, 26ft, 28ft, 30ft, and 32ft. These will supply all requirements until the arrival of the next boat in September, which should start loading at Newcastle on the 24th. On the 11th arrangements were made with the Hauraki Plains Dairy Co. for installing the Turua high ten-, sion phone on their property. Mr Stevens, the manager, has undertaken to look after same on behalf of the Board. This phone was made alive m the 16th, and communications can now be made with the troubleman at Nga- ; tea without any delay; also Paeroa, Te Aroha, and Thames. We experienced one of our worst gales on the 14th which lasted until the 18th. The only damage done was caused through trees falling on the lines, and the supply was not interrupted to any extent. The Matamata-Te Aroha, line was made alive early in the month, and this line has been feeding to Te Aroha West since the 15th. A

small section of the Te Aroha West line was put out of action owing to trees falling during the gale T would suggest that all trees endangering the lines be cut down in order to avoid repetition. \ I would like to mention that practically all the interruptions experienced have been due to trees falling. Consumers. —Thirty-eight milking motors were connected during the month in addition to 103 consumers of light and power. The total number of consumers to July 31 was 2459, which includes 473 milking motors. This total does not onclude Thames and Te Aroha boroughs. It is anticipated that a further 50 two-h.p. milking motors will be connected during August. Waikino.—Poles are now being railed from Kopu to Waikino, ex Louis Theriault, and a start with erection should be made during August.