POWER BOARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 9 August 1937, Page 8

POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. PUBLIC WORKS AGREEMENT. The monthly meeting of the Mana-watu-Oroua Power Board was held to-day, Mr J. Boyce presiding. Also present were: Messrs J. A. Nash, M. A. Eliott, J. Hodgens, M.P., P. G. Guy, W. G. Shannon, N. Campbell, E. 0. Bond, W. P. Bickers, J. H. Mason, and W. McKay. The State Advances Corporation forwarded £9986 9s, being the £lO,000 loan less £l3 11s, the cost of raising the loan. The Power Boards’ Association advised that the annual conference would ho held on October 14 and 15. — Messrs Boyce and Campbell were appointed the board’s delegates. Mr Hodgens reported that, following representations made by the boa,rd and by the Palmerston North City Council, the Public Works Department had agreed to delete from the proposed five-year agreement for the purchase of current that clause which said the contract could be terminated on six months’ notice. It will be remembered that at the last meeting of the board surprise was expressed when this condition appeared in the draft agreement, it being stated that instead of the contract being for five years it was in actual fact reduced to six months. Mr Hodgens was accorded a vote of thanks for his action in the matter. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The chief engineer (Mr W. A. Waters) reported inter alia: —“The work of erecting the extension along Forest Road, Kimbolton, has been practically completed. The work of overhauling the Longburn and Rangiotu feeders has occupied the Palmerston North gangs all tne spare time when they have not been erecting new service lines for consumers. The Feilding gang, when not on .maintenance or service lines, have been erecting the Forest Road extension. A large number of new service lines were erected, including one of 35 chains to a cowshed and house, while a temporary transformer was erected for a bridge contractor at Church Hill. The 200 poles suitable for service lines, ordered in May, have now arrived.

JOINT SERVICE LINE. At Taikorea, many __ years ago, a service line of about 54 chains was erected to supply three consumers. Eighteen chains were erected by thfe board and the balance paid for by the consumers. The load has increased and one consumer now wants to install a range, but the wires will have to be changed before this is possible. The line is owned by Messrs Hehir, Hancock, and Johnston, and is the only jointly owned line of its kind in our area. The owners are agreeable to the board taking the line over (without cost to the board), so that this would make it possible - for us to alter the line to supply the increased load required by one consumer. The load on the line has increased considerably since it was erected, as the three consumers are good customers, and I suggest that the board take the line over and treat it similarly to a line on the roads.