TREE MANACE TO ELECTRIC LINES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2861, 21 March 1925, Page 3

TREE MANACE TO ELECTRIC LINES.

POWER BOARD’S POWERS. A CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION. At this week’s meeting of the ITorowhenna Power Board, a letter was received from Mr A. J. Robinson complaining of the manner in which frees on liis place had been cut off 12ft. in height, although lie had stipulated that they should he eul axe-handle high. Tie had now received notice from the County Council to remove the fops from flic side of the road, and asked what the Board's intentions were in regard to (lie matter. Ail earlier letter on this matter had asked for £350 for damage done. Information from the Board’s officers was that Mr Robinson had inslrue-led them to cut the trees. A letter to this effect had been sent, suggesting flint lie should have complained to the men doing the work, and stopped lliein if not sa-' I isfactorv.

The Engineer (Mr T. Overton) said that some of I lie frees were rather awkward to fell and had they been cut down too low there would have been danger of them falling'on a cottage. He stated that the Board had been too lenient in regard to people wishing to save tlieir trees. They bad had three shut-downs up-to-date owing to trees blowing a-ci-oss the lines in the Foxton district.

Mr Burlier moved that the account f'or the cutting of the trees lie sent- in to Mr Robinson. If he wished to carry it any further, that was his affair. Tt was decided to serve notice on the owners of trees endangering the lines throughout the district to have same cut down, or topped. Cr. Barber in moving the resolution) instancing the serious fatality which recently occurred in the \\ aikato district from this cause. The matter was too serious to take risks with. Mr A. Ross said that he doubted if the Board could compel people to cut down trees, although probably the Board might do the work themselves.

Mr A. Seifert said that he thought that the Board should do the work. It was often difficult for small favm'ers to get men to do flic work. Personally he sympathised sincerely with the man whose trees were destroyed and who was then asked to pay for the work. The Engineer suggested that notice he served oil owners of trees which endangered the line, and if they failed to do so, they he pro-

wled against in the event of the trees damaging the line. Mr A. Brown said that the damge which might be done by trees was beyond estimate. If a tree fell on the line it might hold up industry throughout the district and furthermore when such an obstruction were removed it was possible that men working among the machinery might be caught. The motion as suggested was carried. —Chronicle.