POWER BOARD'S POLE CONIRACY.

Otaki Mail, 1 December 1922, Page 4

POWER BOARD'S POLE CONIRACY.

TENDERS AuGKEGA'I li: J jLi-.iob 17/6 ACCEPTED. At Tuesday's meeting of theHoiowhenu» P0..0* ooaru, die report of the Engineer (Mr Overton; on ins iecem k'lSn io was re'eeiveu, -vith a recomuienualloli lor the acceptance ■ji teiiuers tor the poles io cany out die reticulation ol the Board's district The purchases involve an expenditure oi approximately £13,136 17/0. INVESTIGATION IN AUSTRALIA.

The Engineer's report is as follows: According to instructions received at uie last meeting ol the lioaru, 1 proceeded to Australia, leaving ncie on .ne colli ui iasi inuinti, and ainved ui •Sydney on ttie 30lh, joining Mr Scileit as arranged on the 31sl. We commenced Ho.i anernoon upon i.ic uusiness ui oui conn-acts, anu me nuc.igalions took os in the first instance to the New South Wales Forestry Commission, we spent the afternoon .1 conversation with the Assistant Chief limber Inspector, and were given a mt'ge aboum 01 valuable data verbally as well as in booklet form . ovjiing Atistruu„n hardwoods. Alter questioning ttie expert concerning oui own particular specifications, we were advised that no alterations were necessary except thai, instead ol adhering strictly to ironbark, we may have included certain other hardwoods from specified areas with quite good resuits, especially in the smaller sizes in the schedule. The suggestion .vas

considered careiully, but nut recommended to the Board lor ihe reasou iiiat we desired to procure the best Hardwood for main line-, and taking into account the quantities ol annul poles asked for, it did not warrant calling fresh tenders. New Zealand Government representative: On November I we interviewed Mr Blow,'the Government representative in >ydney, who had charge of distributing specifications and receiving tenders on niic Board's behalf. Mr Blow had the lenders ready in a most complete manner to baud over to us YVe took possession of five tenders or Contract No. 1 and two tenders '■ r Contract No. 2, ami proceeded to schedule same lor comparison with those received in New Zealand. Newcastle and Port Stephen district: Arriving in .Newcastle on the 3rd ins'., we motored about 70 miles into the above district, which district, by the way, supplies 75 per cent of the poles now exported from .New South Wales. We, however, directed our attention chiefly to the forests having timber owned by Messrs. A. C. Brown and Flannery Eros. We spent three days walking and 011 horseback in the bush, covering- many miles and viewing the

principal forests from which the tenderers procured their poles, besides seeing quantities ol poles already at depots cut to different specifications and for use in electric-power and telegraph lines all over Australasia. Beturning to Newcastle we then travelled some 300 miles up the coast in order tu examine timber holdings in the Clarence and Richmond districts. After spending ii\e days in the forests around Grafton and paying particular attention 10 the quality of ironbark and other hardwoods obtained in the vicinity, we returned direct to Sydney.. Tenders recommended for acceptance: After careiully reviewing notes and negotiating further with different tenderers, we decided to accept tenders as follows: Contract No. I.—lo poles of 40ft a! 8.'6 each. £4l 5 : 600 35ft at 59/, £1770; 750 :.::.;; ai 53, £1987 10/; 750 33ft at 48/3, £IBO9 7 0: 500 30ft. at 38/, £950; 250 281' at 31 6, £393 15: 350 24ft at 19/, £332 10 . In the fast two lots 10 per cent prjy gum is allowed. The total cost of ihe contract is £7284 7/6. Contract No. 2.—200 35ft at 02/ ea?h.

£620; 253 351 t at 50/G, £631 a/; 350 33ft at 43/9, £748 2/6; 5110 30ft at 42/9, £10631 15/ (dressed); 250 2811 at 32/9, £409 7/6; j Jjl> 2411 at 20/, £150; total £3627 U\i The contracts are c.i.E and e.., Wellington. Also in same contract, 50,0001 t a'l I 49/ per lOOlt, i'.o.r., Levin, £1225. Ihe total purchases amount to £12,136 17/6.1 it will be observed lhat the recommendation is 10 divide pole Contract. No. 1 between two tenderers, on account of the better prices in cerof the trees ii> the forests, and secondly to ensure good delivery, five hundred scraped poles have been substituted for natural rough poles. These will be used in main streets in towns. Foxton Harbour: After making exhaustive inquiries we were unable to get ships direct to Foxton, a matter to be regretted. General: Before returning to New Zealand we had further interviews with the State Forestry inspectors regarding methods 01 inspection, identication of brands, etc. We also called 0:1 tiie Slate telegraph engineers and toe engineers to the Sydney City Council. All ol these gentlemen discussed

porters, ail of whom we have verbally hardwoods for poles very freely, and amongst the bttshmen and timber expossessed. We would also like to record our t appreciation of the capable manner in which advice and practical experiences were given us while .gave us any information which they thanked on behalf of the Board. TENDERS ACCEPTED. ' i'e successful tenderers were:— No. 1 Contract,—Samuel Brown, Ltd., Wellington (representing Flannery Eros., Booral). No. 2 Contract.—A. C. Brown, Newcastle, N.S.W. in moving the adoption of the report and acceptance oi the tende's, 1 lie chairman (Mr G. A. Monk) said the Board was in the hands of the gentlemen who were making the recommrt.dafions. 'the prices, according to Mr Overton, were lower than he actually expected, which would make the cost of reticulation less. The Board was quite justified in its action in sending Mr Overton across to Australia, and it was fortunate, also, that Mr Seifer! was there to give some assistance, lie diought ii wise that the ivpon recommended the \[>c of grey gum on the advice ol Australian experts. It would be useful to note how these poles stood and try them out thoroughly. It would be seen, too, thai if was recommended thai dressed poles should be used in the boroughs, which was a good idea. .Mr Overton had stated that the poles recommended were from the class of country providing the hardest poles.

The motion was seconded by Mr L). \V. Malheson, who said the boroughs would appreciate the suggestion 01 diessed poles lor ihuse centres. Mr W. Barber agreed witii Hie lepcrt, and said additional inquiries should be made re landing the poles a! Foxton. He understood the Government intended to land poles there. Mr Overton slated Hie port of landing had been mentioned with the hardwood merchants in Australia. They were suspicious of ports like Foxton with lighter drafts of water than 12ft or I3lt. Mr Brown, ol Newcastle, however, promised to go further into the matter, but be Air Overtoil; did no: Itave mui h hope "t the port ol Foxton being used. Mr Barber: Foxton has never had a wreck yet. in reply to Mr A. Mackay, the Engineer said he had discussed the most suitable time for the felling of the timber. Winter was the most suitable lime, hut there , were difficulties in getfing 'an the timber then, but this would im doubt be overcome.Messrs. A. A. Brown and W. If. Gunning supported the sending of the Board's Engineer to Australia. Mr Gunning' said he had hopes of the Foxton harbour being improved so as ti. handle the shipping to this district, as it represented a big saving. Tl

Engineer and Mr Seiferi should be thanked for Hie work Ihey had per- ■ formed for the' Board. t The report was adopted. j