ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4658, 6 February 1924, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER.

THAMES VALLEY BOARD MEETING The first meeting this year of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board wi's lield in Te Aroha yesterday. The chairman, Mr F. H. Claxton, presided over Messrs P. Grace, F. E. Flatt, W. E. G. Willy, G. Howie. J. Pohlen, J. McCormick, J. Price, J. W. Anderson, J. B. Thomas, F. M. Strange, C. A. Arthur. R. Sprague (secretary-man-ager), and Gauvain and McLeod, (engineers). LOAN MONEY., The general manager of the Australian Mutual Provident Society wrote advising that a cheque for £lO,OOO had been paid to the credit of the Board's special loan account, and that interest on same would be due on June 1 of this year and payable to the society’s Sydney office. KAIHERE CANVASS. The Kaihere branch of the Dairy Fanners Union wrote advising that it .had been decided to hold the matter of electric power in the district in abeyance until it was definitely known if the Government quarry and the flaxmills would make use of power or not. TIMBER FOR SALE. The Waitawheta Timber Co., Ltd., Wuikino, wrote offering to supply the Board with rata timber and asking for information as to the quantity and size required, and the price the Board was prepared to pay.—Referred to the manager. USE OF POLES. Mr E. Elliot, of Omahu, wrote asking permission to affix, a private telephone line from the station road to his residence, a distance of some 59 chains, on the Board’s power poles. The chairman thought that such an a van gement would not be satisfactory. The matter was referred to the engineers. CANAL ROAD. Mr J. Pacey, Waitakaruru, wrote asking when the power would be available along the canal road. If the power was to be put along the road shortly the settlers did not wish to go to the expense of installing oil engines. The chairman said that the canvasser was nbw in that district, and the information would be forthcoming when the canvass was completed. KAROPIRO -TERRITORY. The Cambridge Electric Power Board made application for a furthro instalment of £2OOO in connection with the transfer of the Karopiro territory to that board. The sum was urgently required to meet a payment due to the contractors reticulating the territory. —Cheque to be forwarded. REQUEST FOR TELEPHONE. . The Kerepeehi Ratepayer’s Association made application for a telephone to be installed at the coinei of the Kerepeehi and Ngatea roads for the use and convenience of settlers whose power was cut off in the early morning before the regular telephone exchanges were open. The manager said that :t w T as not practicable to put a telephone in where requested. The engineer said that a telephone was already installed at Wharepoa Road corner, which was under three miles distant. The chairman pointed out that the high tension telephones cost up to £5O, and it was hardly reasonable to expect the board to erect a phone every few miles. After further discussion the matter was referred to the engineers for a report as to the practicability of ararnging for a permanent attendant at the Wharepoa Road telephone. MEASUREMENT OF POLES. A letter was received from the Board’s shipping agents in Auckland advising that after considerable trouble with the Railway authorities they had been able to get that department to recognise the Hoppus formula for the measurement of electric power poles. WAITAKARURU SECTION. Messrs Gauvain and McLeod reported on the canvass of the Waitakaruru section : “The area betwee i Ngatea, Pipiroa and Waitakaruru, including the side lines, has now been convassed, and we have to report as follows : Taking the individual roads canvassed Rawerawe Road East is payable to Leonard’s ; Hopai Road is payable to D. A. Waite’s last shed ; Pipiroa to Waitakaruru is payable; Branch Road to Torr’s is payable ; Canal Road is payable ’to Faherty’s ; the Ngatea Rvad to Pipiroa corner is unpayable, but to give a supply to Waitakaruru and Pipiroa, and the payable section branching off this road, it is necessary to construct a lipe along this route. The revenue at present signed up for in this area amounts to £llB4, but to make this section payable a revenue of £1340 is necessary. There is, therefore, a deficit of £156. The canvassers report indicates that thei e is a possibility of obtaining several more consumers in this section. The line from Ngatea to Waitakaruru will foini a portion of the main feeder circuit in the northern portion of the Boards’ area, and for this reason we recommend that' this extension be carried out.

“In conneciton with this section of the Hauraki Plains, it must be pointed out that in order to give security of supply it will be necessary to consider the installation of a cable across the river at Pipiroa. The cost of sucn a cable has not been included in the estimate’ of the cost of the reticulation of this area, for this cable must be considered a,s a portion of the Board’s main feeding line, and as a necessity for greater service.” CHARGES BY GOVERNMENT.

In reply to the Board’s request for a reduction in charges from Horahora the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister for Public Works, wrote as follows:— “It is recognised that your Board is paying a . substantial extra rate, namely, £BOO per annum, plus diversity for supply at three points instead of one. But it is claimed that this only represents an outlay on the part of the Board of £lO,OOO or £12,000, whereas if the supply were, given at one point only the extra outlay by your board on transmission lines

would be very much greater than this. Moreover, the department has gone to very considerable additional: expense both at Waikino and Waihou to give these additional points of supply, for which the above revenue is a bare return. With regard to the general question of amendment of the Board’s contract in view of the financial results of the scheme, this will be taken into account on the expiry of your present contract in March, 1925. Any such i evision will, of course; apply to all power boards, and • will depend upon the financial results as they appear at that date. At present the financial results are exceptional owing to the overloading of the existing plant and to the fact that the charges in connection with the extensions have not yet come into the accounts. Moreover, considerable outlay on additional lines-is pending, with the object of giving greater security of supply. Until these extra charges are taken into account it will not be possible to make any general reduction, but if the accounts on March, 1925, justify such a reduction it will be arranged accordingly.” The letter was received and referred to the Finance Committee. OBJECTION TO CHARGES. The manager of the Ra Ora flaxmill, Paeroa, wrote objecting to the Board’s charges for power consumed" at the mill, and contending that they were in excess of the actual amount of power consumed. The oßard was*' asked to supply a check meter at the mill, as the readings had not been satisfactory.

The manager explained that the amount in dispute was £3O, which was made up by a mistake inade In ing the meter.