ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4899, 4 November 1925, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER.

THAMES VALLEY BOARD MEETING AT TE AROHA. The monthly meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at Te Aroha on Tuesday, the chairman (Mr F. H. Claxton) presiding over the following: Messrs P. Grace, F. E. Flatt, J. Price, C. A. Arthur, J. Pohlen, F. M. Strange, J. B. Thomas, and the manager (Mr R. Sprague) and chief engineer (Mr N. G. McLeod). AVAILABILITY RATE. The Power Boards.’ Association forwarded a lengthy circular conveying the remarks of the Hon. Minister for Public Works on .the resolutions and remits passed by the association at -its annual conference. Included in the remarks wais : “Availability Tate : The minimum has been reduced from £1 to 10s, vide section 64 of the Electric Power Board.’s Act, 1925.” NGATEA FACTORY. The electrical branch of ..the Public Works Department at Hamilton wrote in connection with the supply .of power to the Ngatea butter factory as. to whether it could be supplied under the original three-party agreement, which, it was understood, was to apply. to all factories which complied with the conditions as to load and standby in the board's area. The chairman explained that he failed to see' how r the department could withdraw from its agreement. The matter was referred to the engineer. .. - ACQUISITION OF LAND. ' The Lands and Survey Office, Auckland, wrote'With reference to section 29, Block VII., Piako Survey District, at Waitakaruru, stating that the Land Board was now in a position to place an application before the department for; consideration. Concerning the capital value of the area it was, stated that tentative approval of the disposal .to the Power Board had been given at a figure of £4o’o. The capital, value-was not to be regarded as binding on the Land .Board. The, chairman said that when the Conservator of State Forests had interviewed the department with a view to acquiring the land for pole-grow-ing purposes the price then quoted was £3OO.

The letter was referred back ,to the Conservator. QUOTATION FOR POLES. A Wellington firm wrote quoting 5000 ironbark poles and bloodwood poles at 26s and 36s each, according to length, f.o.b. Brisbane. The usual lengths; 26ft and 28ft, stripped of bark .but not sapped.—Received. • HIKUTAIA QUARRY. - The Hauraki Plains County Council wrote forwarding an. application duly completed for power, for the Hikutaia quarry. A quotation/for a condenser was asked for. Application was also made, to have connection for light and one heating point in the men’s whare, and .to erect a light' at the crusher bins and at. the loading stage at the Hikutaia creek. The manager said that the agreement had not yet been returned. The. matter was referred to the engineer for action. WAIHI MATTERS. The Waihi Borough Council wrote in connection with the recent conference between the board’s delegates and the council. I.t had been decided by the council |hat a final decision should not be reached hurriedly, and consideration had been deferred for a period of three months, to be. then finally considered. • . The chairman said that so far as he could judge the council’s most ’serious objection was the possibility of' having to face ■ a non-consumers’ rate. ■Mr Flatt remarked that the levying of such a rate would be a serious m,atter for Waihi. The chairman replied that the borough could hardly expect to have' all the privileges that the board 'could offer without being prepared to accept its share of responsibility for whatever rates or charges that might arise. REQUEST FOR POWER. Clem Burt, W.ailii, wrote asking if there was any prospect of haying power and lighting installed on his farm air the -Waihi Plains. The engineer said that the position was rather; awkward. The board had quoted the settlers a certain rate for current to which the settlors; ha,d agreed, but now they considered that power should be available at a lower rate. In the meantime negotiations were held up pending further discussion. REQUEST FOR' DONATION. A request was' received from the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition for a donation towards the cost of the Auckland Provincial courts. It was resolved to adhere to a former resolution and leave the matter of contributions to the local, bodies. - The chairman remarked that if the board contributed it would probably overlap the donations of local bodies within its reticulation area. PASSAGE OF DREDGES. * The Lands Drainage Department, Kerepeehi, wrote asking what clearance would be required for the passage of dredges under the proposed power, line crossing the Puhanga canal, Piako River. It was resolved to reply .that about a fifty-foot clearance would be required, and the work would be done by the bp.ard. SUPPLY OF MATERIALS. An echo of the recent shipping strike was mentioned when, in reply to Mr Flatt, the manager stated that there were sufficient polps on hand at present to carry on with, but the copper wire had been delayed over a month. If any further shipping strikes took place the effects would be seriously felt so far as the board’s construction work was’ con'cerned. ACCOUNTS. Accounts totalling £10,509 4fti 6d. on the power fund and £8417 19s 2d on the loan account were passed for payment.