OVERHANGING TREES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5282, 1 June 1928, Page 1

OVERHANGING TREES.

DANGER TO POWER LINES.

DEFINITE REGULATIONS NEEDED. When discussing a remit to be forwarded to the annual conference of the Power Boa.rds’ Association dealing with overhanging trees the engineer, Mr N. G. McLeod, made some trenchant observations at Tuesday's meeting of the Thames Valley Power, Board. Mr McLeod pointed out that considerable trouble was experienced i ll most country districts with trees adjacent to electric power lines. In the board’s case, during the heavy gale at tlie end of April damage costing £36'6 10,s to repair was done, and this was due to trouble with trees and debris from consumers’ properties. That, however, was not the worst aspect of the case. Making consumers were likely to suffer, considerable loss by such power stoppages. The average production per herd was 401 b of butter-fat ,a day. In some cas.es the whole production of a herd had to be given, to pigs. In other cases the quality of cream had' been reduced! from superfine to second grade. In the first case the loss was £3 a, day, and in the second case ssi a day. In many cases herds, were affected in their milk production for the remainder of the season.

Provision w.as made under the Public Works Act for. the cutting of trees, continued Mr McLeod. Upon seven days’ notice being given to the property owner of the trees could be cut, but at the licensees’ expense, and the property owner could claim compensation for. damage. The property-owner could lodge an injunction for damage, however, and cutting might be delayed a long time and! still more trouble happen before the trees were cleared. Mr McLeod said that it should be realised more than it was by the general public how great a ; menace the owner of danger'ius. trees really was. Not only did the power boards, suffer loss, but consumers sustained great inconvenience and loss as well. It woukl be difficult to put such into money values, and it would be more difficult still to put a value on the loss the licensee sustained in prestige and consumers’ goodwill. The p'owers given under the Public Works Act were usually sufficient for dealing with ordinary property-owners, as generally they were inclined to ( be reasonable, and even assisted 1 when they realised the extent of the trouble their tiees caused.

After some discussion it was moved by Mr J. Price, and seconded by Mr F. E. Flatt, that resolution 31 of last year’s conference regarding dangerous trees be again brought under the notice of the Minister of Public Works with a request to have the necessary legislation enacted. Licenses generally, said Mr McLeod, were quite sympathetic in dealing with requests, of consumers regarding their tre.es but. greater powers should be given to licensees. The onus should he placed on the propertyowner to see that his trees were made safe after notification by the power boards. The cost should be borne by the property-owner, and if ihe refused to cut the trees, or was unable to do s.o, the board should cut them at the owner’s expense. There wa ; s too much sympathy shown to the individual tree owner and too little to the, general body of consumers.