THAMES VALLEY POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5323, 7 September 1928, Page 4

THAMES VALLEY POWER.

PROGRESS DURING AUGUST. REPORTS BEFORE BOARD. The following monthly reports were submitted to Tuesday’s meeting of the Thames Valley PowOr Board :— ENGINEER’S REPORT. “Kopu-Orongo 11,000- volt Connection.—Tlie wooden troughing for the 11.000-volt cables under the KOjpu bridge was completed on August 6. The services of a PriOsftman dredge were obtained from the Lands Derailment, an;d a channel was cut across the bed of tlie river, in the fairway -10 ft on. the northern .s'de of the opening apaji. The bottom of the channel is 6ft below river, bottom. The laying of the cables in the channel was completed by midnight on Tuesday. August 28. A Post and Telegraph cable was laid along with our two. The ends of the submarine span, have been made fast meantime, pending the drawing in of the other eabiejs. “A start is expected to be made, next week on the erection qf th® interconnecting c,verhead lines, and an endeavour will be made to complete the connection between both sides of the river by September 30, ready for the new quarter. “There has been practically only one gang operating in| the Paeroa df-strict during the past mon,th, the. main gang having been transferred teq the Pc Arolia, district to carry out urgent woirk there. The work done has mostly been On the erection of new service) lines, the re-straining of old ones, the. running of a 25-ch.a.in low tension extension on existing poles at Hubbard s Road, and a 10-c'hain low tenisiiojn extension at Waitakarur.u ; connecting in the Public Works Department’s dredge line at WSharepoa, some alterations to low tension lines in. the Pae.roa, borough, the cutting back of dangerous trees' on Thames; Ro.a ; d, an,d the changing of a burnt pale at the top of Hubbard’s Road. “Tree Planting.—The men frc<m the Forestry Department arrived with 7000 Eu. Engenioilides trees on August 30 and commenced planting on; the board’s section at Waitakaruru on August 31. MANAGER’S REPORT. The, manager reported as_fcolows : “Balance-sheet.—The balance-sheet lias been returned by the Audit Office without any ‘tags,’ am} is now in the printer’s liandis. Copies will be .forwarded to members. As previously mentioned, a profit of £448 13s 7d for the year was shown. “Wai'lii Borough Account.—-As instructed, 1 interviewed the Waih.i Borough officials in regard to their acccjunt for damage to footpaths, and they absolutuely refuse tc ; make any rebate. Under the circumstances the board has no optiejn but to pay the account. “Consumers.—The total number of connected to the board’s mains is now 6735, including tlie Thames and Te Aroha boroughs. The Thames ecjnsumeris total 1074 and Te Aroha During the month 25 lighting .and heading consumers, 69 water-heaters, 5 electric ranges, and 19 motors on farm';—of which 10 were 2 h.p. milking motors —were connected. There are now connecter! and operating 1498 water-heaters, 247 electric ranges, and 2020 motcjrs on farms, of which 1710 are 2-h.p. milking motojrs. in addition, 57 consumers had lighting and heating extensions made during the month, and three 2 h.p.. two 3 h.p., oni.e 6 b.p., and one 15 h.p. motors were connected on mater rates.

“A very large demand for installation of milking motors and waterheaters is now being experience. 1. a,nd the installing department has been unable to cope wit’ll same and additional labour has had to be engaged. However, it is gratifying to know that the bulk of the load is going on existing linjes.