HOROWHENUA RETICULATION

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2432, 23 May 1922, Page 4

HOROWHENUA RETICULATION

WILL BE READY IN TIME

TO RECEIVE THE POWER

The attention of Mr G. Monk, chairman of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board, was drawn by a Chronicle representative on Friday to a .statement, made by Mr G. Mitchell, MH*., to .the effect- that progress A r as going on so well at Mangahao that- the power would be available on schedule time, and there was a possibility of some of the Boards not having their reticulation completed in time to receive the current.

Mr Monk said s 6 far as Horowhenua was concerned, the reticulation would be completed in about twelve months’ time, and it was certain to be ready to receive the power at the end of 1923, when it was expeeted the power would be turned on. A certain amount of course, would depend on the attitude of the ratepayers when the loan proposal was submitted to them, but he did not anticipate any trouble at all in that quarter, as the ratepayers were sufficiently aware of the value of electricity not to place any obstacle in the way of the Board. He thought that the proposal would be submitted in, about two months’ time, when the poll would take place. The Engineer (Mr Overton), Mr Monk continued, was greatly impressed with the Horowhenua district, the reticulation of which did not present any great difficulties. It was compact, and should be easily worked. The fact of there being four boroughs in this* district was a big help as they were the centre of considerable populations, which was mn advantage in the reticulation work. In fact, our whole district was well settled, and we had good country with no barren,!racts, with sparse settlement, as was the case in places in the Waikato. The preliminary work would occupy some months, and it would be about the New Year before the reticulation work started. When the loan was carried and other preparations made, a few months would suffice to procure the poles and other material. Mr Monk said he hoped the flaxmills would keep going at full pressure because with the advantage of cheap power it would be a great saving and help the industry considerably.

The Chairman paid a tribute to the excellence of the Horowhenua Board. It was comprised of keen enthusiastic men, who were taking a great interest in their woi-k, giving him (the chairman) every support, and taking a lot of work off his shoulders. So far as Horowhenua. was concerned, the whole scheme was going on most satisfactorily.

THE COST OF POWER. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER’S VIEW. > After the meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board on Tuesday, the Engineer, Mr T. R. Overton, addressed the Board on several aspects of the new motive force which had been made possible by cheap water power. Many people, he said, would talk about the power not being cheap. They were to. get it at £lO a .horse power right where they'required it for a possible 24 hours a day on 305 days a year. What cheaper form of power was provided than that. The objective to be aimed at was a good load factor. They had to strive to use the power as many hours out of the 24 as possible, and it was wise to encourage that by selling the power at lower and more attractive rates during the hours when the demand on the supply was lighter. It would be found, in that ease, that hydroselectric power would displace all other systems of lighting ■andpower 1 ;' The charges made were quite adequate for the main-branch-lines and low tension lines up to the consumer’s boundary. The consumer had to pay .for the lines necessary inside his boundary. These ,payments could be made straight out \or spread over a period of years, shv five. The cost of the service lines’'-was from £2 10s to £3 a chain. That was the first expense the consu'mer was put to in taking electric power. The next expense was the installation of motor or lighting facilities.’ Mr Overton ([noted the following actual figures as to the cost of this. A 2 h.p. motor for milking purposes, displacing a petrol engine, cost £49. A 3 h.p. motor, and nine lights cost £OO. A 2 h.p. motor, with countershaft, pulleys, belling and shafting, a light in the cow-shed and five lights and an electric iron in the house cost £OO. Coming on to the installations purely for lighting purposes, these could be estimated at £2 per point. That was the average they had been getlipg round Hamilton. It: was no use doing shoddy jobs or letting contractors do them, because they only came back on consumers in about three years’ time. He had known jobs cost three times as much as they should cost through having to be renewed within five years.

A lot of country people were anxious to know what it was going to cost for milking. Already this country has been saved £5,000 a year in-petrol by electric power, and that money is kept circulating here instead of going out of the country where the pound note had only been worth 13s until recently. Electric power was cheaper than petrol, though there<might be isolated cases of a very efficient engine used to imilk, say- 20 cows, where petrol compared well with electric power. Mr Overton then quoted some actual figures of cost. Milking, say, 50

cows in the flush of the season would cost 1/9 7ier day with electric power. In another ease lighting and power to milk 100 cows was costing 1/11! per day. Replying to questions, the Engineer said electric power was qunte satisfactory for dairy factories, and was used by them to advantage. It could be utilised for heating water. The Board’s revenue from sale of power could be collected for it by various local bodies for 2! per cent, commission, which obviated the opening of offices throughout the district. , The chairman said it seemed obvious that the oil companies would make a. fight by reducing their charges to have petrol engines retained. Mr Seifert said they would bring the oil in tanks and store it in bulk. The Engineer explained that where possible a dozen farms could be grouped for their own reticulation, and the money advanced with repayments spread over three years.

The chairman said it seemed to him that in times like' .(hose, it would be necessary to give people some assistance in putting jn the power by advancing them the money. They would have to /keep that in view when their loan was being raised. As the money was repaid by the consumers it eouhl be used to extend the reticulation.