ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4806, 4 February 1925, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER.

- ’ — 0— THAMES VALLEY BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meetins of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at Te Arolia yesterday, the chairman; Mr F. H. Claxton, presiding over the following: Messis P. Grace, •Ft E. Flatt, J. B. Thomas, J. Price, F. M. < Strange, C; A. Arthur, G. Howie, J. W. McCormick, W. E. G. Willy, J. Pohlcn, and J. W. Anderson. The engineer, Mr N. G. McLeod, and the. secretaryrmanager, Mr R. Sprague, were also in - attendance. '•HOUSES FOR TROUBLEMEN. The Hon. Minister for Public Works acknowledged the board’s application for permission to build houses for troublemen under section 15 of the Power Boards Act, 1922, and stated that the matter was receiving consideration. < WAIHI AN OUTER AREA. The Under-Secretary, Public Works Department, forwarded a copy of a proclamation declaring the Borough of Waihi to be an outer area of the board’s district in terms of section 13 of the Power Boards Act. SHIFTING POWER LINE. The district engineer of the Public Works Department,. Paeroa, wrote advising that the board’s account amounting-to £l3O 19s 7d for shifting the power line near the Kauaeranga river bridge; Thames, had been referred to the head office, and that under clause 17 of the regulations governing the erection of electric lines in section 2- of the Public Works Amendment Act the department was not liable, and the claim, therefore, could not be entertained. The engineer said that the line had beqn shifted at the -departments request to. enable the railway bridge to be erected. ~~- Mr Flatt moved that the matter be .referred back to the district office requesting a settlement, failing which tlv> matter would be referred to headquarters.. . > Seconded by Mr. McCoimick. and carried. NON-CONSUMERS'' RATE. T.he i. Banks Peninsula Electric Power Board wrote asking for particulars as to the methods adopted in levying and collecting the non-con-sumers’ rate. DAIRY FACTORY MOTORS. The Taranaki Electric Power Board wrote 1 asking for particulars as to the scale of charges for daily factory motors. PAEROA FIRE BRIGADE. - The secretary of the Paeroa Fire Brigade wrote soliciting a . donation towards the upkeep of its equipment. It was pointed out that as the brigade was a consumer of electricty, and that no tire brigade rate was struck, the burden of upkeep should be borne by ':>)! citizens and institutions in pro-

portion. . ~ Mr Flatt explained that annually the brigade collected towards its upkeep. In view of the board’s operat’ons and buildings within the borough he would ask ihe board to give the request earnest consideration. - ’ The board was in the borough for the purpose of trading, and. as a business institution it was only fair that it should contribute something towards the maintenance of the brigade. He moved that a sum of £a be donated. ■■ Mr Howie seconded pro forma,- but ■ objected on the grounds that it would - ' be throwing the expense on the country people, who derived no benefit - from the services of the brigade. Several members spoke against es- - hzblishing a precedent ’ The chairman said he took no exception to Paeroa, but he was of the tpinion that a rate should be struck. Mr Arthur agreed with the chair- ’ man, • On the resolution being put it was declared lost on the voices. EXTENSION SOUGHT. The; Waihi Borough Council requested that arrangements be made fcr an extra pole to be erected in Haszard Street, so as to extend the line, to the band, hall and serve a street light at the corner of Martha end Haszard streets. —Referred to the . engineer. , MONEY TO LEND. The Hamilton office of the Australian Mutual Provident Society wrote advising that it had unexpectedly re- - ceived a, large sum of money for immediate investment and that it was willing to consider applications from electric power boards. It'was resolved to reply .that the ‘ board was mot at present in need of f irther loan money. It was also decided'to send a similar’ reply to a Dunedin broker who offered to loan £150.000. at 6 her cent RAILWAY COTTAGES. . The N.Z. Railways Department advised that four wbrkmen’c cottages were being erected at Puiaruru and requested that arrangements be made to inslal electricity.-—Referred to the engineer for a report. CHARGE FOR POWER Mr A. M. Wright, Te Poi, wrote enclosing “cheque covering attached account less 60 per cent, increase.” The letter continued that he had placed the matter of legality of the extra charge made by the board in the hand of his solicitors for their advice, pending which he was holding over the extra amount claimed by the board. WARNING NOTICES. The secretary of the Walton .School Committee wrote asking if the board would allow the committee to place ■warning notices for motorists on the power poles on the roadside. The application was declined. INFORMATION SOUGHT. I . Mr G. H. Elliott, secretary of the Kerepeehi Ratepayers’ Association, askee for information regarding the rating of son-consumers of electricity, and • also regarding the erection of poles to connect, houses on side „ streets. It appeared to be the im--pression in Kerepeehi that consumers would have to bear the whole cost

of the poles and erection. —‘Information supplied. WIRES OVER RAILWAY. The Minister for Public Works forwarded a memoranda ofi extension providing for additional wires over railway lines and extending the grant to, include a new clause. ELECTRICAL GRADUATES. The registrar, Canterbury College, Christchurch, wrote advising that his committee was favourably disposed towards the proposal of the board to take one engineering graduate annually for practical experience in ‘electricity. Information was sought at; to what remuneration would be paid. A copy of the School of Engineering syllabus setting out the conditions governing a similar engineering exhibition tenable' with the General Electric Co., Birmingham, England, was forwarded for the board’s information. The chairman said he was awaiting further advice from Wellington before supplying the information. WAIKINO SCHOOL OF MINES. The Waikino School of Mines sought the assistance of the board in obtaining equipment and power to enable, it to carry on with classes at the school. It was pointed out that that three of the students were employed on the Waikino transformer, and the. knowledge gained by them at the school wpuld be of direct benefit to the board. The matter was left with the engineer and manager to assist if possible. A PROTEST. A Putaruru settler wrote : “I was very surprised to get your account for lighting, and also three demands which I presume, are for a non-con-•su triers’ rate. When I put .the light in 1 contracted with your agent for £6 a year, and you deliberately broke the contract and demanded 50 ! per cent, increase 10 months from installation. Now you put another 10 per cent, increase on, which I absolutely refuse to pay. I never knew a respectable body of business men act the way you have done. I want to know what right you have to depart from original contracts without consulting those whom you depend on to take the light and power. I am. prepared to pay what I signed up for, and enclose cheque for two quarters.”—-Referred to the manager. INTERRUPTIONS BY BIRDS. Mr Willy mentioned the fact that interruptions to power had been caused on the Hauraki Plains by birds sitting on the transformers. He asked if this could be remedied. The engineer stated that the transformers were now being insulated to prevent this. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £10,707 7s 8d on the power fund and £9155 19s 7d on the loan fund were' passed for payment.