ELECTRICAL ENERGY AND THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2635, 20 September 1923, Page 3

ELECTRICAL ENERGY AND THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

INTERESTING STATEMENT BY A MILLER. At the public meeting on Tuesday night, addressed by members of the Ilydro-Elecfrie Power Board, Mr Alex Ross, who is Foxton’s representative on the Power Board, and also a prominent: flaxmillor, dealt with electric energy in its application to the hemp industry.' He. referred to the steam generated power of sixteen years ago, followed by the more modern suction gas engines, which were, he said, a mixed blessing, but it enabled flaxmillers jo out the power costs and save the industry during a period of low prices. The advent of electricity would in his opinion, add ten years to the lives of flaxmillers. Electrical energy would obviate well-known gas engine cussedness and reduce worry to both employer and employee to a minimum. The machine of the future would he the induction motor, working off alternating current. This machine requires practically no attention, and is so controlled, if properly installed, that outside renewing (lie oil in its two hearings about once a week, it looks after itself. It is not affected by coal or transport strikes, or any kind of heavy weather experienced at times in Foxton, does not “lie in” or “have fish for breakfast,” or forget the night before to regulate the damper; it cannot lie left for a had

start next morning, is either running at its fall speed or stopped, can he stopped and started a dozen times a day without assistance, is quicker to stop and start than any dutch or shifting of belt. In fact, it is about a no trouble machine, properly installed, having only two self oiling hearings, and no wearing parts outside of these. Its maintenance cost is practically nil. Think what that means, he said, compared with maintenance of gas plants. It will respond to an overload for a, considerable time without causing inconvenience or damage. If a feeder suddenly runs amok, you can hope he will keep it up, smile and let him go the limit, instead of getting on edge as at present because the old gas engine is groaning and slowing up and he suggests the small tallies are not his fault “but the darned old engine!” ADVANTAGES OF INSTALLATION.

The weight of a motor the size required to drive a stripper and wash is about Bcwt., compare that with the tons of metal of a gas engine and plant. The space required is about four feet square, the foundations about one tenth required for a gas engine, place motor any side of your drive. The motor will run in either direction, therefore all cross belts can he done away with and will allow scutcher drives to be a separate unit, thereby place scutcher in most suitable position and to run where wanted without in any way interfering with stripping operations or adding to cost of scutching when stripper not working. POWER REQUIRED.

From a series of tests carried out by the Horowhenna Power Board officials at Wairoa Plaxmill under similar conditions which will be in operation at Foxton, —the horsepower required is now definitely defined. To drive a stripper counter shaft and Suttie wash feeding at rate of 29ewt. an hour, 33 actual horse power was required oft the motor pulley. To lift water necessary for washer the power required varies in different mills, and can he ascertained in each particular case and should average out at aImut 7 h.p. per stripper. The automatic scutcher and presses with heavy feeding; and high speed of drum takes IS h.p. From above dala the suitable size of motors to give ample margin required is 40 h.p. motor per stripper, iu addition add the power to suit pump condition and 20 h.p. motor for automatic scutcher. The motor from poiut of efficiency, installation and freedom from trouble, is very much ahead of all other power plants and this also applies to capital cost, as the motors can be installed at about half the cost of a modern gas plant. SCRAP PRESENT PLANT. Plaxmiilers have to take into consideration that they will have to scrap their present plauls, which means a big loss as they will be of little more value than scrap Ron, and (lie cost of the installation of motors for - a single stripper mill will bo round about T3BU. About ban. of t his may be saved by the sale of millers present engines but Mi' floss advised against this as for a period millers should retain their piesent plants it possible as a stand-by as with a new installation, like Maugahao, there is a risk of breakdowns for some time. Coming to the most important- point, the COST OF POWER PER TON OF HEMP From operations at VVaiioa the last six months and basing it on the scale of charges to be made by the Power Board here, Mr Ross said it will range from 2l>/- to 25/- per ton of scutched hemp according to the lay-out of the mills, number of strippers, out-put and class of leaf milled. In comparing this with present costs you have to include fuel, oil, maintenance, attendance, depreciation. The items that apply have been taken into account in the figures given and are based on an average output. ELECTRIC LKiViNC. It will benefit employees in tfiat it will reduce the broken time they at present experience from breakdowns which largely occur in the engineroom. This also has a direct bear-

ing in operating costs as one co.ff. most difficult to control is overhead charges which can only be kept, low by a steady and consistent output, seriously affected by breakdowns.

OVERTIME AND NIGHT WORK will he greatly simplified. Where night shift work is possible the hoard will, I believe, said Mr Ross, give n much more favourable scale of charges. You can readily realise what that would mean to Foxton should wo bo fortunate enough to strike boom prices for hemp. Flaxmillers in making the comparison must remember that the cost may appear higher than present cost hut this will he more than covered by efficiency, greater output, less loss of sleep and temper, and engine trouble, which would minimise the apparent but doubtful saving under suction gas. Tn conclusion, Mr Ross said he was satisfied that electrie power to operate our mills will in the future lie of great advantage and is in no way an experiment and it will do the job successfully. There' are, ho said, at least six strippers working by electric power in the Donfinion. His firm have had experience of operating mills by electricity and intend to install same when available in Foxton. FIN A NOT A L A SSI ST A N (lE. The TTorowlnmua Power Board have offered yeiy favourable terms, nil tilings considered, and arc willing (n assist to finance Hie cost and installation, recognising the difficulties that face millers in scrapping their present plants and to finance a heavy capital expenditure. If Foxton mills link up, said Mr Ross, they will lie the biggest customer the Power Board will have, hut dr, not confuse this with Hie host, the Board wants to take all the juice from Mangalmo they enn * o ~iart with and therefore our load lining a hull; and partly an olt-pealc load, it will be offered at a very low rale, and uni it they get it cheaper from the Government could not lie passed on for less without doing an injustice to the general ratepayers. He said flaxmillers should endeavour to install as Hie bigger the consumption the less the rate and this is what every possible user of light or power should give due consideration to, for, if they do not pay one way they have to pay in another, so he urged them to pay the way that will bring them the most, benefit and that is by using the juice.