POWER BOARD WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4935, 5 February 1926, Page 4

POWER BOARD WORKS.

THAMES VALLEY REPORTS. WORK DURING JANUARY. € At the meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board at Te Arolia on Tuesday the manager (Mr R. Sprague) reported as follows: — "Waihi Plains Reticulation. —(Owing to a number of settiers on the plains having cancelled, their installations the authorised reticulation of the section has been held up indefinitely. Fortunately no materials had been forwarded.

“Unpaid Rates.—Final notices demanding payment of the availability rates unpaid have been sent out, to-. gether with the penalty of 10 per cent.

“South Auckland Power Board’s League.—A meeting of .the South Auckland Power Board’s League was held at Hamilton on December 17, 1925, the board being represented by the chairman, engineer and manager. There is a report of the proceedings in the inward correspondence.

“Consumers.—The- total number of consumers connected to the board’s, mains at January 31, 1926, was 5430, which incudes the boroughs of Te Aroha and Thames. Lighting and and heating consumers numbered 51, with 55 water heaters:, 15 electric ranges, and 46 motors on farms of which 32 are 2-h.p. milking motors. There were also one 10-h.p. and toe 2-h.p. motors connected on meter rates in towns. s

“There are now connected and operating 610 water heaters, 70 electric stoves, and the total number of motors installed and running is 1’548, of which 1379 are 2-h.p. milking motors. In the number of motors connected to the mains during ,the month are 26 on already existing lines.

“Income and Expenditure.—The following is a statement of income and expenditure for the nine mojnths ending December 31, 192'5, which shows, the financial position of the board to be quite satisfactory:

“Income. —Flat rate, lighting, heating, and power, £31,607 17s; water heaters, £1172 19s Id; ovens, £451 18s 7d ; towns, lighting, heating, and power, £13,109 6s lOd ; street lighting, £737 4s lOd; towns, maximum demand, £2681 17s 6d; and industrial, £4OlB 2s 5d ; sundries, £5OO ; trading department, £4500. Total, £58,779 6s 4d. “Expenditure: Power purchases, £17,893 Is lOd ; interest and sinking fund, £27,687 10s ; administration and maintenance, £9578 6s 7d; balance, £3620 7s lid. Total, £58,779 6s 4d.” The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The chief engineer (Mr N. G. McLeod) reported as follows:— “Ngatea-Kaihere 11,0'00-volt Line.— This line has now been completed, a 25 k.va transformer having been installed to supply the consjumers on the Ngatea end of the extension. It wats- made alive on January 6.

“Puhanga Canal Block.—On the north sidb all the poles and wires have been erected. and the services run. This section will be made alive as soon as the canal crossing is completed. The crossing poles have been erected, as well as .those down to McClean’s on the eastern side, and Wir-r ing is to commence shortly, “Rawerawe West Road L.T. Line.— This line has. been completed and all services, run. The liiie was made alive on December 11, 192'5. “Maratoto-Hikutaia ll,00(hvol.t Line This line has now been completed. A 15 k.v.a. transformer was installed and the line made alive on December 19.

“Awaiti West Flaxmil].—The connecting up, cf this mill has been finished. A 100 k.v.a. transformer was installed, and power supplied cn December 11.

“Matatoki Quarry Line. —This Hue has, been pegged out and partly cleared. The laying out of poles is pro-

ceeding. “Transformers.—Two additional 10 k.v.a. .transformers have been iutsalied, • one being at Kaikahu ■ Road (Jamieson’s) and the other on the Waitakaruru road by McDeanjs'. “Pole Replacements —The replacement of the 25 poles on ;the PukeNctheiton section wasi complete! last period, as well ap three on the Pae-roa-Te Aroha line near Paeroa.

“Storms.—During January five severe thunderstorms were experienced in the district. Apart from the replacement p£ fuses, the only damage done on the sysytem ‘was the burning out of a 3 k.v.a. 3000-volt transformer, which was replaced im-

mediately. On January 22 there was> a very severe gale, during which power from Horahora was interrupted for about 11 hours. Power was available from Tauranga to our northern section almost immediately, but supply to the Waihou section was very unsatisfactory. Correspondence before the board explains the posi-j tion.

Practically the whole of the trouble on the board’s own lines was due to treees and flying branches. In one case the roof of a shed was blowtii over 100 yards, and this broke the adjacent service line. “The board’s main lines were capcable of supplying power during the whole of the period, except for branches, and the board’s instructions would be appreciated regarding those whose trees did damage to our lines. “Considerable praise is due to the staff who were on duty in the last storm. Some of the men worked for as long as 20 hours in wretched weather on that day.” With reference to the trees and branches, Mr F. M. Strange said that .the only protection the board had was to recover damages from the people whose trees caused the damage to the lines.. There had been 36 faults during the last storm caused by overhanging trees. He moved that those people with trees that had caused the stoppages should be claimed against for the damage done. Mr Willy seconded the motion. The chairman said that the position was serious, and he wap- heartily in agreement with the resolution. The engineer pointed out that the board could only claim from settlers, whose trees’ had damaged the service lines. The resolution was carried.

Several members paid high tribute to the work of the outside staff during the recent storm, and it was generally conceded that the staff had given loyal and efficient service during a very arduous period.