ELECTRIC POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5443, 3 July 1929, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER.

. • THAMES VALLEY BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Thames Valley Power Board was held at Te Aroha yesterday, Mr F. M. Strange (chairman), presiding over Messrs. J. M. Allen, J. W. Anderson, C. A. Arthur, H. M. Corbett, F. E. Flatt, W. McCormack, J. Pohlen, J. Price, J. 8.. Thomas, H. A. .Torr, N. G. McLeod (engineer), hnd R. Sprague (manager). Supply to Timber Mill. Mr J. Carder, Auckland, announced a syndicate had taken over the mill at Tepapa, formerly owned by the N.Z. and B.C. Timber Co.. Ltd, and asked what formalities were necessary to have the power switched bn. The syndicate were of opinion the mill should be further in the bush, but to make the change meant considerable expense in converting the mill to steam. He asked the approximate cost per mile for wiring, the syndicate to provide poles to the, board’s requirements. In a later letter Mr Carder said he noted with surprise from the board’s letter of the Bth June, 1929, that it apparently had a security over the electrical equipment at the mill. He thought matters would be easily adjusted, as regards guarantee of payment, by the firms taking over the syndicate’s output of timber. It was expected to buy a local yard as a going concern and deliver direct from there. He asked for the amount owing and security held. The board decided that nothing could be done until' the question of security was settled. Supply of Trees. The Conservator of Forests asked whether the board' intended planting eucalypts for power poles this year, and if they would require planting stock from the Forestry Service. He also wrote stating that it was not the policy of the Forest Service to accept the responsibility of recommending the use of locally grown eucalypts for power poles, with the exception of species recommended by them, and that only after an officer of the service had personally inspected them. The matters were deferred. Power for Coromandel The secretary of .the Coromandel Chamber i of- Commerce advised the following resolution passed by his chamber :. “That the Thames Valley Power Board be asked to furnish the Chamber its estimate of the cost of erection of a power transmission line from -Thames to Coromandel, Colville, and .Whitianga, separately, and collectively, and to state what their rate of interest’ charge would be on capital outlay. • ; ■ It i was decided thiat the board’s enginer should give an approximate estimate without going to the expense of ah " ' . HatokrPlaihs Mr E<, ,G.; Willy* wrote anent the question of reallocating , the representation now existing. The. Hauraki Plains.^contributed,.. he thought, not less than £15,000 per annum to the board’s income, and had well over 400 motors on flat rate and about 40 on meter rate. There were, about 500 consumers of electricity in the county, and the representation allotted at the board’s inception was one member. He desired to suggest that the Hauraki Plains County was now entitled to two 'representatives. Hei was aware that only 12 seats were available* but “the piper should be able to call the tune as well as pay," and to that end it would seem that the bulk consumers, who number two, are over represented. These seemed to be, approximately : Te Aroha and Thames, £5OOO income, two representatives ; Hauraki Plains County, £15,00.0 income, one representative. The relative ratio of income and representatives should surely be reversed as far as the representatives were concerned. He was well aware that the board would not wish to able services of either the Te Aroha’ or Thames members, but even democracy lost its, sentiment rtt times. He understood that possibly other representations would be made to the board on the matter shortly. ■ The chairman said that if Mr Willy had wished to bring the matter up he should have done so at least nine months ago. Nothing could be done now, and the matter would have to be deferred’until the- question of representatives came up again in about two years’ tiffie. Mr .Torr remarked that Mr ’ Willy had informed him. be would be writing the letter, but that was all. Mr Flatt expressed surprise that an ex-member of the board should write in a private capacity and not through, the representative of the county. The matter was deferred. Ngatea Street ; Lights. The Hauraki Plains County Council wrote stating that it understood that all payments due to the board in. connection With the Ngatea street lights had now been made. The board was asked to again make the lights available at the earliest possible moment. The Ngatea Public Hall Society for-1 warded a cheque for £lO in payment of the balance of the old Ngatea street lights account. The society would be pleased if the board would give instructions for the reintroduction of the Ngatea street ’lights. The quarterly accounts would be met by jthe society, i The Hautraki Plains Coumty Council would be siting to the boat’d, giving its guarantee. The Hauraki Plains County Coune il advised that it had agreed to guar an - tee payment of the board’s account fol •’ street lighting at Ngatea, having in turn taken a guarantee from the Ngatea Hall Committee. The board agreed to the arrangement. Power for Waihi Beach. Mr J. Trewin, Cambridge, asked if power would be supplied to Waihi jjbach in time for the next summer season. Mr Corbett suggested, that the only way to get an idea of t he possibilities

of Waihi Beach was : to get information from the town clerk of the Waihi Borough Council. The council was anxious to see power supplied at the beach. It would be too late to hold a canvass now, as people were not in occupation at the beach. The chairman remarked that there was no chance of power being supplied this year. Mr Sprague was of opinion that the canvass should be left until Christmas, when people would be in occupation. Mr Corbett said that, taking into consideration the chairman’s and manager’s remarks, he thought the matter should be left as the maager said. Supply to Borough Pump House. The Paeroa Borough Council wrote : “We have accounts for April and May, and they are both based on 12 h per cent, on £3OO as capital cost of giving supply. This is not correct. Clause 1 of letter setting out charges states : “Cost not to exceed £3OO all told, including any costs inside pump house.’ That must be reduced for purposes of charging 125 per cent, at least by £5O, which we are paying cash for as per your account. We are hoping that you may have been able to install at less than £3OO. Will you kindly advise us what cost was, if less than £3OO, and then the 125 per cent, amount can be definitely fixed. I personally saw Mr Walmsley re this last month, but as nothing has eventuated and we have now two accounts I am writing direct to you." « The Paeroa Borough Council wrote further : “Acknowledgment is made of your letter of the 11th inst. herein. The position as stated by you is correct —that the amount on which annual charges at 125 per cent, is payable is £250. Your prompt appreciation is appreciated.” The amount of 125 per cent, on £250 was agreed to as correct. Private Road at Kerepeehi. Mr R. E. Mitchell wrote from the Paeroa depot to the effect that Messrs McLarin and Price asked for a written assurance from the board that a refund would be made to them when the road was dedicated. The contract forms had been made out as for two separate jobs, with 20 chains of line at £2 per chain each, and also for motor, water-heater, and shed lights in each shed. As the line would later be converted to 11,000 volts it had to be built of 30ft poles and 7-16ths copper, but acting on Mr McLeod’s advice they had signed up as for a service line at £2 per chain. The deposits of £25 each would not be forthcoming until the above assurance had been given. ’ The settlers agreed to accept the board’s offer and conditions. Breach of Wiremen’s Act. The Registrar, Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Board, reported in con-, nection with the alleged breach of the Wiremen’s Act by William, O. Tilsley that . the. board , had agreed tb. take legal action, and asked whether ; the Thames .Valley, Board ,wps agreeable to the; board’s solicitor conducting the case on behalf of the prown. The .board agreed to the retaining of the solicitor mentioned.