HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4521, 23 October 1930, Page 3

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING.

The above meeting was held in Levin on Tuesday.

CONCESSIONS TO FLAXMILLS.

The chief electrical engineer (Mx\ Kissel) wrote in regard to concessions to tlaxmills, advising that on the previous occasion on which the concession asked for was granted it was a case of allowing all the mills in the distinct to get going half way through the quarter in order to stimulate the industry. If all the mills are desirous of starting again at some point other than the beginning of the quarter and are thus likely to seriously increase the Board’s peak demand he is prepared to recommend to the Minister to give favourable consideration to the Board’s request. Should, however, it be a question of only one or two mills starting up it would appear 'to (be a matter which the Board should be quite competent to deal with and he was not prepared to ma'ke any recommendation in the matter. The letter was received. DISCOUNT ASKED FOB. STREET LIGHTING.

The Town Clerk, Foxton Borough Council, wrote asking ' the Board to extend the discount granted to lighting consumers to . the Foxton Borough Council in respect to the £2OO odd now paid annually for street lighting. The chairman said the request was asking 'the Board to stretch the thing- a little too far. Electricity for street, lighting is at present being sold for 2.9 d per unit. This, after the Board has borne the whole cost of installation and maintenance of the street lighting system. He stated maintenance was very heavy, which Board members will notice by accounts for lamps. 'Thejre is little profit for the Board. In reply to a member the chairman stated that Levin and -Shannon .are paying the same rate as Foxton. It was decided that no action be taken. TREASURER’S REPORT. The treasurer (Mr. F. J. Ramsay) reported as follows: —The following is a statement of revenue earned from sale of electricity for the half-year ended September 30th, 1930, with comparative figures for the same period last year:—

. —i « s g So * * o L< o iffl d co 25 2. 1 ■p C) CJ OJ cs Zl Hrl - —rH a r a 5 .« l.fj ■«I «g W » <1 >. ri * £ £ £ Lighting 13,100 . 8863 8072 Heating and cooking 8,500 4230 3511 Power 15,000 5457 6635 Wfl/tGir* heating 4,000 2106 1689 .Street lighting 1,350 680 667 £21,330 Less discount on lighting £678 £41*950 £20,658 £20,574 The above table shows substantial increases under each heading (power excepted) and that more than half the anticipated revenue foil: the year from the sales of electricity has been earned. .The drop in the power sales, is of course, due to the closing down of the majority of the flaxmills. The expenditure, other than purchases of electricity, has been normal for the half-year, and if nothing unforeseen happens, should be well within the estimates for the year.

The chairman in drawing attention to the increase .in revenue, said that it was quite satisfactory. There had been a drop in power sales, but there had also been a drop in their electricity -account; but their position is very satisfactory.- He stated that their revenue is increased, but their capital expenditure has also increased. The rqport was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The engineer (Mr. J. A. Smith) m his report submitted, which covered the period since last Board meeting, stated: — “Forty-five service lines and fine temporary service hajve been run and extra phases run on five existing services; 194 poles have been carted out, fitted and erected, and 1750 chains of wire, run out. One outdoor substation has been erected and fitted.

A shipment of 325 poles came to band during the period and were off loaded and stalcjkted. The' 125 K.V.A. transformer at the Poplar Moll sub has been changed and (brought into the store for overhaul and reconditioning-. The usual maintenance has been carried out, including street lamp renewals, attention to consumers’ installations and Board’s lines and equipment,

“Seventy-five single and live polyphase meters have been tested and 19 repaired and retested. -Two ranges have been (fried out. The .peak load for the quarter ended 30th September, 1930, was 1628.33 K.V.A. The report.-was adopted.

BOAiliD INVEST M DEBENTURES. The chairman reported that the Finance Committee, after careful consideration, recommended that of the unappropriated [balance of about £II,OOO a further appropriation of £SOOO be made to the Interest Reserve fund. An application had 'been received from the

Ilorowhenua County Conive.il and it was thought it would be better

if some of this money was more permanently invested. Mr. A. Seifert proposed and Mr. T. G. Vincent seconded, “That a further appropriation of £SOOO be made to the Interest Reserve Fund and that this amount be invested in Ilorowhenua (County Council debentures foil- a term of ten years, bearing interest at the rate of 5,f per cent, with a sinking fund of li per cent.”

The resolution was carried