THAMES VALLEY POWER BOARD

Putaruru Press, Volume I, Issue 5, 15 November 1923, Page 4

THAMES VALLEY POWER BOARD

AN APPBECIATION.

Large Electrical Undertaking

Under the heading of “ An Encouraging- Example,” the Wanganui Chronicle in an article in a recent issue makes some complimentary remarks concerning the Thames Valley Power Board. The article reads as follows: “The Thames ValleyXElectric Power Board was constituted in 1920. The Board, which obtains its current from the Government generating plant at Horahora, on the Waikato river, rpticulated an area pf 2300 square miles, with a rateable value of £15,000,000. It is one of the** largest electrical undertakings in the Dominion. The Board already has loans authorised to an amount £350,000, and it is estimated that a further £250,000 will be required to complete the reticulation of the large district. Mr. F. H. Claxton, who was on a visit to Melbourne, last week furnished a representative of The Age with an interesting summary of the Board’s history and operations. Although the scheme is only now coming- into active use, he said, some idea of the popularity cooul be gauged from the fact that the last month the Board installed over TOO two-horse power motors for milking plants alone; that already 800 motors are connect-

ed, of which 500 are milking machine motors on various farms dotted throughout the district..—A^-ail"lndi-cation of the financial success of the undertaking, Mr. Claxton stated that this year the Board, in addition to meeting its administrative expenses, had been able to pay £30,000 for interest and sinking fund out of revenue. Apart from the great benefit and convenience which cheap light and power meant to the municipalities, the scheme was making steady gress in the country, and gradually oil engines and lamps were being displaced from farms by the more upI to-date and efficacious medium of hydro-generated electricity.