HOROWHENUA HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2531, 18 January 1923, Page 3

HOROWHENUA HYDRO-ELEC-TRIC POWER BOARD.

A meeting of the Power Board was 'held at Levin on Tuesday, those present being Messrs G. A. Monk (chairman), A. A. Brown, C. Kilsby, A. Seifert, D. W. Matheson, F. D. Whibley, W. H. Gunning and W. E. Barber. ENGINEER’S REPORT. • The engineer (Mr Overton) reported : —- Buildings and Stores. —Plans and estimates are now submitted herewith for your consideration: (a) Plans and specifications No. 1 depot, Levin; (b) portable huts for six and four men gangs; (e) foreman’s residence. An alternative plan is being prepared for the latter. Should all or any of the proposed plans be approved of, I would like to be instructed to call tender's for the building to be put in hand immediately. The survey of the section has been completed and the necessary transfer plans lodged. Regarding roading and fencing of the property, I would like some directions in this matter so that, the work may be expedited as far as possible. Tools, etc. —As authorised at last meeting I am ordering tools, ladders and portable cranes for constructional work, at a cost in all approximately £350. Contracts. —Fairly good competition has been experienced in the last tenders' issued, resulting in ten tenders being received for contract No. 3 (low tension insulators and ironwork) and seven tenders for contract No. 4 (high tension insulators and ironwork). Regarding the pole-carting equipment, six quotations have been received for this apparatus. The total commitments involved in these items will.be about £4,900. The tenders have only been opened by the chairman, secretary and myself, and I would recommend that, same be inferred to a committee of the Board, with power to act, in ordering the material. It. would be necessary Tor the committee to meet as soon as all the information has been prepared for their perusal, and probably the same committee' who were impowered to deal with the pole-carting equipment and the transport of poles from Wellington could be given the- additional work of dealing with (he tenders.

The chairman considered that they should get on with the building of tlfeir stores at once, as material would be arriving and would require to be placed under covex'. 1 lie question of material would have to he considered, and lie thought they should adopt the suggestion of the engineer that a committee be set up to expedite matters. An important point was the quality of liiaterial to be used in the electrical installation, and he was of opinion they should not stint price when by a little higher expenditure they could procure a much superior article. Mr Matheson: The whole, thing binges on that —the matter ot va lue. Mr Seifert thought they should go for good material, such as insulators. Replying to Mr Seifert, the Engineer said a good insulator would last indefinitely, whilst a poor one would go out at any time. The chairman pointed out that it cost just as much to put up a poor insulator as a good one, whilst the poor one would necessarily require to be replaced, meaning extra expense; , ~ Mr Gunning thought they should purchase English material, everything being equal. Mr Seifert stated they had received a New Zealand quotation, and he thought they might try a small length, on a private line, for instance, to test it. They should encourage New Zealand manufacture.

The chairman said that was a good idea, and could be done. The engineer said the New Zealand insulators were being tried at, Mangahao on a small scale, and in spine city installations, but not yet on main lines. On the motion of ihe Chairman and Mr Matheson, it was decided that the acceptance of tenders be left to a committee consisting of the Chairman and Messrs Matheson and Brown, together with the engineer and secretary.