ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4622, 7 November 1923, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER.

THAMES VALLEY BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held in Te Aroha yesterday. There were present Messrs F. H. Claxtpn (chairman), F. E. Flatt, W. E. G. Willy, G. Howie, J. Pohlen, W. J. McCormick, J. Price, J. W. Anderson, J. B. Thomas, F. M. Strange, C. A. Arthur, and P. Grace. The secretary-manager (Mr R. Sprague) and the engineers (Messrs Gauvain and McLeod) were also in attendance. WAIHOU SUBSTATION. - The District Electrical Engineer, Hamilton, wrote in respect to the conflict of provision of payment, between clause 7 and schedule B. The word “ demand ” in schedule B should be deleted and the words * due date ” substituted. In respect to the k.v.aallotment this should be increase.! from 900 k.v.a. to 1500 k.v.a.—Received. In a further communication th? District Engineer. Hamilton, forwarded memorandum of agreement covering supply of electricity by the department to the Thames Valley Power Board. It was pointed out that the maxi num supply under clause 10 hat been -aised from 900 k.v a.. tp 1500 k.v.a. The chairman said that the agreements had been signed and forwarded. SUPERANNUATION. The Australian Mutual Provident Sbciety, Hamilton, suggested to the Board that in future it would probably adopt a superannuation scheme covering the Board's staff of employees as d submitting informatio<n there•to for the consideration of the Board. The chairman said that the Boaid would lit ve to take up the matter with the Government later on. INFORMATION SOUGHT. The i,c r retary of the River Murray Commission, Melbourne, wrote askin' 1 ; to ■ cnpplied with information' regarding the use of electricity iii NewZealand, in view of a proposal by the Commission to utilise the Hume Reservoir for hydro-electric development. The chairman said that he had discussed the matter with the secretary of che Commission during his visit to Melbourne. It was decided to supply available information’ as requested. LOAN DEBENTURE. The Australian Mutual Provident .Society wrote stating that the society’s had handed in- debenture No. 2 for £lO,OOO, representing the second draw which the Board was to take on November L —Received. SHIPMENT OF POLES. A. C. Brown, Newcastle}- Australia, wrote advising that the schooner Louis Theriault had begun loading poles at Port Stephen for the Board. It was also advised .that'l66 30ft poles would be shipped ny the first available steamer;—Received. BORER IN POLE. A. C. Vosper, Matamata, wrot3 thanking the Board for prompt) action taken in removing the pole, that had been badly infected with the borer. In answer to Mr Flatt the Chairman said that t;he pole was not ironbark. It had been up some years. POWER STOPPAGE. The head office of the N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Co., Ltd., wrote complaining that at the Shelly Beach cheese factre” the electric power had been cut off four times during September without. notice, and that on one particular dav it had been necessary to run a .steam engine all day as no power wa? available. The letter pointed out that the saving effected by electric power was certainly offset by the occurrence of vexatjous stoppages, and although occasional interruptions were to be expected the actual delay occasioned was excessive. The engineer said that he hoped the defects had now been remedied. REDUCTION IN COST. The N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Co., Ltd., Hamilton, further wrote that at a representative gathering of committees of suppliers, it was resolved to ask the Board pn behalf of suppliers in their area for a reduction in charges for power for. milking machines. The matter was referred to the engineer, s for consideration. The chairman said that, he was ve”v anxious to reduce the charges, but he thought the Board was as yet really only in the experimental stages and due caution should be taken until the Board was “out of the wood.” If the . Government, could reduce .he charges,for power in bulk, then the Board should certainly pass that reduction on to its consumers. Mr Gauvain suggested that the Minister should be written to, pointing out that the Board was not getting equitable treatment as regards charges for electricity, especially in view of the profit the Government was making from Horahpra. Mr Strange suggested that the question of charges should be carefully considered by the Board towards the end of the financial year. Mr Flatt agreed, and thought that the dairy company should be advised accordingly. In the meantime the matter of reduction of cost of power could be taken up with the Government. Mr Thomas thought, that the Government should be approached immediately. PAEROA IMPROVEMENTS. The troubleman at Paeroa submitted a number of proposals for the expeditious dealing with faults and breakdowns on the Paeroa junction tower. He suggested that he should be connected by telephone to the residence of the lorry driver, and also two of the Board’s workmen, W. Taylor and G Jenkinson. He also suggested that the bottom part of the tower should be enclosed and roofed. It was submitted that a epnerete floor should be put down so as to check the tendency of the structure to lean to the south, owing to the pull of the

Thames and Te Aroha Unes fciwn the Paeroa tower. Mr Flatt, moved that the manager-—? and engineers go into the matter and submit a report to the meeting in De- ’ cember. Seconded by Mr Anderson and carried. ANOTHER REQUEST. A Wellington paper asked for informatjon concerning power board works that would be of interest to people in the Manawatu, Horowhenua, and Wairarapa district. The chairman said that it was impossible to supply information to all. and sundry. The request had beetf-»< received too late for the manager fo, supply the information. » = POWER CHARGES. “It is positively unfair tp charge on the same basis as for a light in a , dwcllinghouse,” wrote Mr J. A. Wai-? lace, of Maungatautari, when objecting to an extra charge for a light in his cowshed. He also stated that the canvasser had made it quite clear that where a motor was installed one .light was allowed, the cost of the motor covering both. The light- in the shed was used only on rare occa-f; sions. The engineer said that the cost was only about half the ordinary rate. The amount complained of wouli work out at about l%d per .week. PAEROA OFFICES. { The foreman of the Paeroa depot wrote asking for. authority to erect a; cloak room and necessary conveniences for the use of the female staff at Paeroa. —Granted. : ' REQUEST FOR AGENCY. A letter was received from Mrs E. J.. Innes, Kerepeehi, advising that she' was willing to act as the Board’s agent, and was prepared to handle such lines as globes and hot-point utensils. It was decided not to: establish d depot at KeYepeehi at present, asthe Ngatea depot was able to cops with the demand. PORCELAIN SUPPLIES. An English firm wrote that on account, of a “ring” being formed in England-porcelain prices had been .advanced enormously, and it could not ’execute, orders at prices quoted. Thefirm, therefore, had no alternative.but to cancel the prices on a quotation. —Received. DANGEROUS WIRE. A, H. Faulkner, factory manager, .Glaxo Manufacturing Co., Te Aroha, asked for information regarding the : high tension wires running above his company’s low tension wire.—lnformation to be supplied. ORONGO SCHOOL. J. M. Smith, of Orongo -Settlement, wrote asking'for an estimate foi; installing two 32c,p. lights in. the school about to be erected. The build- : ing would stand within 3Q yards of the road on which the Board’s line - was erected. £ The chairman stated that the infoi mation had been supplied. TURUA STREET. LIQHTS. The secretory of the Turua Town..Board wrote asking that- arrange.:;, ments should be made to jnstal lights in addition to the tpn. already arranged for. but .wished candle--power to be rearranged. The firstten lights were to have gooc.p. lamps./ The five additional lights were required at Willow Drain bridge onHaiiraki Road, Jubilee Creek bridge on Hauraki Road, opposite McLean’s? stables, in the township on HaurakiRoad, on the corner of Matai Street : next Bedford’s motor garage, and op<; polite Mrs McLean’s residence in the, township, facing the river bank< Thirteen of the 15 lamps wer.e to be JOOc.p. and two 200c.p. The two 200-1 c.p. lamps were to be at the Presby-; terian corner and at the corner of. Ph.ko Road, facing the post office. The matter is dealt with in thermanager’s report. HEIGHT OF WIRES. F. Lockyer wrote, stating that the height of the wires over the road at; - Mangaiti were above the regulation? height on Johnstone’s and Maces’ sub--; mams. As the Post and Telegraph: foreman wanted these wires; higher,; he asked if he would proceed with thework. » F The engineer said that the Board; war prepared to move the wires at the Department’s expense. ACCOUNTS. V.._ Accounts passed for payment total--led £18,967 17s sd. PATETONGA CANVASS. In reply to Mr Willy Mr said that a canvass had been made at Patetonga, and had been The work of erection was delayed?pending the actual cost pf installajf tion being supplied to some.of thesettlers, who desired that information? before they signed up for. power. .5 POWER BOARD POLES. Mr Gauvain reported that he had made arrangements with the. Forestry Department at Whakarewarewa to. supply a truckload of poles of New Zealand timbers. The poles were expected at an early date, and would be erected in various parts of the district and records kept of them as to suit- . ability or otherwise for power board purposes. Speaking on the question of steel poles Mr Gauvain said that he had - written to three firms for quotations, but the information received was too vague. In his opinion steel poles would not be suitable. They would be quite satisfactory for long spans of line, where it would not be necessary to carry low tension wires, but not otherwise. The quotations received clearly showed that the cost of the steel poles would be more than double that of timber. He was prepared to go further into the matter, however, and report at a later meeting. BREAKDOWNS. Mr McCormack asked if anything could be done to give settlers relief frem annoying and not infrequent breakdowns. Mr Willy said that he had been that the breakdowns were due tdt ovcrloading the transformers. He wanted to know if additional transformers could be erected on the lines. The chairman said that the engineers and manager would go into the matter and endeavour to remedy the defects.