POWER BOARD REPORTS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4806, 4 February 1925, Page 2

POWER BOARD REPORTS

BUSINESS FOR THE MONTH. RECORD OF WORK. The following monthly statements were read at the Thames Valley Electric Power Board meeting at Te Aroha yesterday afternoon:— MANAGER’S REPORT. “The schooner A. K. Hall and the steamer Kawatiri arrived in Auckland at the beginning of the month with 501 and 438 poles respectively. Owing to the shortage of railway trucks, and the necessity for carting from the wharf to the rail, all of these poles were forwarded by water to the dump at Kopu.

"The Louis Theriault arrived at Kopu with 1205 poles on the 22nd These have been discharged, the Louis Theriault sailed on Sunday, February 1. There are now ample stocks of poles to last for some months, and a further charter ofl the boat was not made.

“On December 20 the official turning on of electricity at Waihi was performed by. the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister for Public Works, the Board being represented by the chairman (Mr F. H. Claxton) and Messrs Strange and Grace. Thete are now practically 70 consumers connected in the borough to the Board’s mains. “Non-consumers’ Rate. —Quite a number of rate notices have now been posted to ratepayers, and strong exception has been taken to the minimum of £l, as set out in -section 4 of the Power Boards Amendment Act, 1923. I have explained that the Board endeavoured to reduce the minimum to 5s at the last Po.wei Boards’ Conference, which was endorsed by the delegates, but to date no amendment to this section of the Act has been made, I would suggest that further representation be made to the Power Boards’ Executive to reduce the minimum to ss, and also to adjust quite a number of anomalies. “A number of rate demands have been posted to consumers in error, owing to owners of properties having tenants in occupation, and the supply of electricity being taken >y the tenants, and paid for by them, and noc by the owner, whose name appears in the valuation roll from which the rate book is written up. However, upon being notified that the properties rated are using electricity adjustments are made, and a memo is now attached to each rate demand to the effect that if electricity is used on the propel ty for the year ending March 31. 1925, same will be supplied free to the amount of the rate, and if the supply is npt aavilable' within 10 chains of the property boundary the rate does not apply.

“McCardle v. the Board.-—The court case, McCardle v. the Board, for loss of horse through eating washing soda, at Kiwitahi, was heaid at the Magistrate’s Court, Morrinsville, on December 16, McCardle receiving judgment for £63 9s 6d. “Meeting.—A special meeting of the Bohrd was held on Monday, December 22, at 7.30 p.m., when the rate for tne Availability Rate was made and levied. "Consumers. —The total number of consumers connected to the Board P mains to January 31, 1925, is 4646, which includes the boroughs of Te Aroha and Thame. There were 166 lighting and Keating consumers and 58 farmers’ motoi-S) of which 47 were 2-h.p. milking motors, connected since Last meeting. The total number of motors connected and running on farms is .1160, of which 1038 are 2-h.p. milking motors. There were also connected one 5-h.p., one 3-h.p., seven 2-h.p., one 1-h.p., and two %-h. - motors bn meter rates.” ENGINEERS' REPORT. Gauvain and McLeod's report included the following : — "Ngatea-Waitakaruru,—The lines in this area are nearing completion. Some thirteen miles are now in operation, the following being the details of construction work carried out: Ngatea-Dalgety’s Corner, 11,000/415volt line; first section completed and livened up on December 22. Rawerawe Road and Hopai East and West Roads : Low tension lines, all completed and livened up. Dalgety’s Cor-ner-Pipiroa: Low tension livened up on December 23. Pipiroa Township : Livened up on December 23. Dalgety’s Cornen-Torr’s 1 Road : Livened up on December 23. Maukoro Canal Road : About miles of this 11,000volt line, together with low tension circuit has been erected and wired up. “Paeroa. —Low tension extensions have been carried out on Ainsley and Aora.ngi roads. Some further 25 applications for light and power have been received, and the premises are now being wired and connected up. “Five new transformer stations, comprising one 50 and four 15k.v.a., have been erected on the Hauraki Plains section and livened up. “Waihi.—Power was switched on in Waihi on December 20 by the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. The reticulation as originally planned has been completed, two transformer stations installed, and 6'5 services connected to date.” >