ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4962, 14 April 1926, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER.

THAMES Y'ALLLEY BOARD.

MiONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at To Aroha yesterday, the. chairman (Mr F. H. Claxton) presiding over the following: Messrs, P. Grace, F. E. Flatt, W. E. G. Willy, G-" Howie, J. Pohlen, J. W. McCormick, J. Price, J. W. Anderson, J. B. Themas. F. M. Strange, C. A. Arthur, the manager (Mr R- Sprague), a,nd the engineer (Mr N. G. McLeod). BOMBAY-WAI-KINO LINE. The head office of the Public Works Department advised that tlie erection df the transmission line, between Waikino and Bombay should be completed and ready for operation at the end of this yejar. t ,■ . The chairman said that this wa r s satisfactory news. ■ , Mr Willy agreed, and expressed the hope that the department would expedite the construction and keep faith with the settlers. . - ' PAEROA RAILWAY. STATION. The district engineer, N.Z. Railways', wrote in connection with t the /deviation of .the railway line at Paeroa, stating that it had been necessary 'to divert the road near William Street. Some of the electric power pcles were situated near the. old fence line, a,nd required to be moved back to-the new fence line. The department understood that the Paeroa Borough Council ~wished to have the lights installed at the new subway at William Street, a.nd it would be advisable for the; board.xto move the poles to a position more- suitable for the proposed lights. Mr Flat), in,tima i te.d that the council had already takep the matter upLOAN OF ,£50,000. The Public Trust Office, Wellington, advised that the Te Aroha postmaster had been instructed .to pay the sum of £5OOO to the credit of the board’s account; which amount represented a further instalment of the £50,000. NEW REGULATIONS. The Fire lUmtorwriters’. Association Council forwarded a, copy of the new regulations relating to. electrical .installations. in theatres, motion picture houses, and- other places of public, amusements. MORTGAGED LAND.

The Auckland. Co-operative Terminating. Building Society wrote advising that i.t held certain mortgages upon, property situated tin the board’s, d;rea, ivnd gave notice that it did not hold itself liable for. any electrical equipment installed by the board upon any land included in such mortgages,,The society also advised that it could not ■■ allow any charge.under section 23 of the Electric Poweb Boards Act, 1920, to be y created in the future -upon such Land in precedence to i'ts security unless consented ,to by the society in .writing before the installations commenced.; . ‘ V A member remarked .that apparently the society thought it could override the laws of the,,Dominion. : The Chairman : Exactly. REDUCTION OF COSTS. Mr Flatt moved that a -remit the board be forwarded- to the: Power Boards’ Association conference'recommehding that the- Government: be re-; quested to reduce the cost of power in bulk so .far .as was concerned. He said that -in his opinion the cost ol electricity could be reduced with advantage to consumers. The chairman, said that he was in agreement with the suggestion,, but the difficulty was, that the remit. could :not -have ■■ Dominion-wide application. He suggested-that the recommenda-tic-n should be made on behalf of the board to the South Auckland Association, .as for obvious reasons some of the supply authorities could not make a reduction of charges. . Mr Flatt agreed to move, accordingly. . - • Mr Strange , said that with the. advent of the Arapuni scheme it was, desirable that the board should not enter its protest a,t the present,, so Jar as tire existing charges for the Horahora supplies were-concerned. ■ PAYMENT OF ACCOUNT. ■ The- Rising Sun Gold Mining Co.,'. -L'd., Owharoa, advised that it could not pay its . regular instal.ment foi•March owing to the mine being closr ed clown for two. months through lack of water.; . ; ’ The secretary, replying to Mr Flatt, sa.td that the arrears had been re-, duced-to £l6O. They had been up to £6OO. : ~ - , A member suggested that the board members riiight pray, for rain. -POWER FOR SAWMILL./ , The • N.Z. Co-operative parry Co., Ltd.,< advised that it was in. complete agreement for the supply of power to the Maukoro sawmill, Hauraki Plains, and it was proposed to sign up for power for a term of five years. , STREET LIGHTING; A complaint wap advanced by Mr. Flatt, Paeroa Borough, Council representative on the board, that the street lighting system in Padroa was' insufficient. ’ . ' : ■.■ .The engineer stated that .the matter had been looked into, and it hkd ■been found that the; voltage was quite satisfactory, It had been a.rraiiged to take further tests, . ' < - Supporting his- letter, Mr Flatt said that the voltage appeared to be very unsatisfactory oh Thames Road near the racecourse. , , ’ The engineer said that > Mr E. W. Porritt’s residence was a, considerable distapde from the. transformer, where tests had been taken which; were quite satisfactory, , but further tests on Thames Road" would be made. It was- resolved to refer the matter to the engineer with a recommendation that further tests be taken, and a report submitted. ELECTROCUTION. The Waikato sub-branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, Hamilton, wrote advising that two recent fatal accidents caused by power lines breaking had been discussed by its executive. As .the. question involved was one of serious concern to many members who had wires running along or'across their properties an Inquiry as to what

steps the board proposed to take to safeguard huma,n and ajiimal life, against any further fallen wires In future wasj made. The matter was referred to (the engineer, it being generally agreed that the board was doing its utmost to safeguard the public. EXTRA REPAIRS. Mr Willy said that it. had* been brought to his notice that a consumer had had a milking.motor installed by the board’s workmen, and on two occasions the shaft had broken. The engineer admitted that the report was correct; ajnd pointed out the reason for the 'defects. Satisfactory repairs had been carried out at the board’s, cost. KOPUARAHI CABLE. Mr Willy pointed:out thjit'the ferry, at Kopuarahi was being installed in the vicinity of the board’s main cable, and he wished to know if the board had taken sufficient steps to protect its property. The engineer explained that the ca.ble had been buried to a depth of nearly three- feet. In any case, the existence of the cable had been, authorised and gazetted by the Marine Department, and if it was damaged the. shipping company would be re- ( sponsible for it. . In answer to Mr Flatt, the engineei syi.id that the Kopuarahi ca,ble was only a duplicate of the cable at Ngatea.: It had been duplicated so that in the-event of anything happening to one Of the cables the Hauraki Plains area would not be without a power supply. ' ■ , ACCOUNTS. ’ ■ Accounts, amounting to £7-562 19s 4d on the power board fund a,nd £7884 7s 7d on the loan fund were passed for payment. - '