ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 122, 27 April 1925, Page 5

ELECTRICAL ENERGY

POWER BOARD’S- SUB-STATION. OFFICIAL OPENING. The officiul opening of tho ManawatuOroua Power Board’s new sub-station at Bunnythorpe took place this afternoon, the chairman of the board, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., presiding. The Minister of Public Works (Hon. G. J. Coates) was present at the ceremony. Addressing the gathering the chairman pointed out that, through the courtesy of tile Minister and Government Electrical Department, they had been enabled to build adjacent to the Government station, thus allowing tho Government and the board to work together. HISTORY OF BOARD REVIEWED. Reviewing tho history and progress _ of the board at length, the chairman said: “When tho first, proposal anu beginning of the Mangaliuo construction took place, the borough of Palmerston North and tho Kairanga County Council endeavoured 1o form a board of their own. This was objected to by the Minister. Then the Manawatu County offered to join in, but, this was also turned down. The Feilding Borough Council and the Oroua County Council had, in the meantime, commenced the formation of a board, but the Minister, tho Hon. J. G. Coates, stated that ho would only agree to one board for tho whole area. As events have turned out there is no doubt that the Minister showed wisdom, and wus quite right in the decision he arrived at. In order to bring all parties together, tho Minister held a conference at Feilding, when matters were amicably arranged. A provisional committee was set up, of which I was appointed chairman. Tho first meeting of the committee was held on July 29th, 1921, when the boundaries of the board were formed, and all local bodies were asked to contribute £SO each towards the preliminary expenses of the board, the money being returned again at a later date. After all preliminary steps hud been taken, the first election of the board wus held in February, 1922.”

Having dealt with the election of officers and tlie appointment of tho staff', the speaker continued: Tho first work was to arrive at an estimate of the cost of the scheme, which wus based on prices then ruling at £434,539. To this the . board added £50,000 to assist consumers witii installations, and it was decided to take a poll of the ratepayers for a sum of £500,000. In all 26 meetings of ratepayers were held, and on the 21st August, 1922, the poll wus carried by 1144 to 96. Before incurring fugther JiaibiEties, it became necessary to arrange tho loan. At the time money was hard at 6 per cent, but acting on behalf of the Board I was able to arriing? same at 5i per cent and on excellent terms, viz., £50,000 in one instalment and the balance in payments of £IO,OOO per month. As the money was not all required tinder the arrangement, a number of pay menus were missed, . and as the toim of the loan is 20 years it is estimated that it will cost tiie board spread over tho whole period under 51 per cent, surplus moneys held by the boartl being invested* with the Public Trustee at per cent. Owing to tin unsatisfactory condition of some of the poles that were being sent to New Zealand, the board very wisely decided to send its engineer to Australia to investigate, and after a tour of inspection with Air Drew, of the Forestry. Department in Australia, our engineer decided to purchase only, desapped poles. lie was wise in his judgment, the board having since received a most excellent supply, and at a price that cannot possibly be repeated. Construction work was (started in Juno, 1923, tho first pole being erected at Bunnythorpe. After detailing the negotiations with the Feilding Borough Council for the purchase of its electrical works, he said it was safe to predict, that, with the reduced price charged and the advent of hydro power, the load in Feilding would be doubled in the first 12 months. In order to inaugurate and build up the load, the board decided to make no charge to consumers for their connections till the power was actually turned on, and this had a good effect and induced people to connect, A temporary supply was arranged for from the Palmerston North Borough Council, which commenced to operate on 10th April, 1924, and was continued until Manguhao power was available on 19th December last, the full power of 110,000 volt transmission being limally switched into action early last month.

GOOD DEMAND FOR POWER. "The demand for lii'ht and power in this district is exceptionally good,” continued the speaker, “and the board’s staff, working with the able co-operation of the electrical firms, is securing 95 per cent, of possible consumers from the time tho lines are built. Our engineer estimates that within five years there will be at least 400 homes in tho board’s district which have adopted cooking by electricity.” “Tho capital expenses of the board to March 31 last, including stocks of materials valued at £36,879. were £272,869. The amount advanced to consumers to the same date was £26,073 and the repayment made by consumers £18,454, so that notwithstanding that wo males ample provision to help and assist consumers, only £7619 remuined outstanding at the end of the financial year. The revenue for the sale of current for the first year was £6268 but the demand has been so great during the past month or two that the revenue this month will reach £2500. Our first contract for poles was for 12,000 at a cost of £34,277. We estimate that we shall have fully 600 miles of lines before long; to date wo have erected 263 miles, using no less than 8046 poles. To this must be added consumers’ servico lines. To date we have 2200 miles of bare cable, and 95 miles of triple braided wires erected. \\e have 2465 consumers made up witli 1145 in Feilding and 1320 in other parts of the district, and which include 158 milking motors representing 314 horse-power, _ and 103 motors for general and industrial use representing 690 horse-power. We have orders in hand for motors and which are being installed representing over 1500 horse power. Power is now being used in the board’s urea for milking, separating, shearing, wood cutting, pumping, butter factories, cheeso factories, fellmongeries, flax mills, pipe making, forge blowing, sewing and washing machines and other domestic work. Shortly wo shall have some very large concerns linking up with the board’s supply. Wo commenced operations with a stall of four and to-day we have a clerical staff of 6, engineering 9, and outside staff of 86. Although a special rate was struck over tho whole district, we have so far been able to avoid making any call upon the ratepayers, and trust we shall continue to do so. . During the past year the board lost the services through death of tho late Mr S. R. Lancaster who had proved himself to be a very able member, and wa3 a most ardent and enthusiastic worker in tho board’s interests. After mentioning those employees who had lost their lives, the chairman paid a tribute to the staff for the excellent work done in the interest of the ratepayers in the board’s district. In Mr Waters, we have been exceptionally fortunate in securing the services of such an able and capable engineer, lie said. He has never looked back, and has always been very optimistic as to the future of this district, and I am pleased to be able to say that he has enjoyed the board’s confidence from the beginning. Not onlv is ha in the first flight of engineers but he also possesses good commercial knowledge as well. He is very ably assisted bv Mr Merson (the Feilding inannger) mid Messrs Donaldson, Row, Bukford and Bale at Palmerston North, and Mr Jackson ’in charge of the Bunnythorpe substation. Mr Eglinton, as secretary, has already proved himself to bo a very capable officer, and has a thorough grasp of his work, and with tho hslp of his stall tho whole of tho office work is being carried out in a most satisfactory manner. * In conclusion Mr Nash expressed ,thanks to the members of the board. Tney had woiked very harmoniously together, each i and everyone b;ing imbued with the idea of making ibis one of the best and most progressive Power Boards in New Zealand.”