ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4621, 5 November 1923, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER.

USE IN DAIRY INDUSTRY. AMPLE SCOPE FOR DEVELOPMENT. In his annual report for 1922-23 the Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department (Mr Lawrence Birks), states under the heading of "Industrial Developments” “Electric milking plants, which will necessarily form a large proportion of the country load of the electric power boards, have increased by over 100 per cent, during the year. There were now ovei - 1100 such plants in operation in the Dominion, as compared with 548 last, year. The following indicates the distribution of these plants : Thames Valley Power Board, 384 ; Central Power Board, 247 ; Te Awamutu Power Board, 152; Cambridge Power Board, 1001; Banks Peninsula Power Board, 67; SpringsEllesmere Power Board, 28; Southland Power Board, 29; Tai Tapu Dairy Company, 36 ; Hawera Electric Supply Company, 50 ; other installations, 50 ; total,' 1143. “The total number of milking machines in t,he Dominion, operated for the ‘greater part by benzine engines, is 12,468, and is increasing at a rate of over 2000 per year. There is thus ample scope for the development >t electric power supply in this direction. "Tn addition to the milking plants, the dairy factories are proving a useful load, particularly the large butts? and dried-milk factories, of which six are now supplied from Horahora."