THAMES VALLEY POWER BOARD

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 34, 5 June 1924, Page 2

THAMES VALLEY POWER BOARD

THE ANNUAL MEETING. Mi. Claxton Again Chairman. The annual meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board was held at Te Aroha on Tuesday, the following being present: Messrs. F. H. Claxton, G. Howie, J. Pohlen, J. Price, J. B. Thomas, F. M. Strange and C. A. Arthur. Five members were unable to attend owing to the means of communication being blocked. Apologies were received on behalf of Messrs. F. E. Flatt, W. E. G. Willey, J. W. McCormick, J. Anderson, and P. Grace. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Mr. Pohlen moved and Mr. Arthur seconded that Mr. Claxton be reelected chairman. There were no other nominations, and the motion was unanimously carried. Mr. Claxton, in thanking the members for liis re-election, said he had done his best during the past 12 months frr the interests of the board. Th ? reports tabled that day should have been presented at the last meeting of the board, but he had wished to have all the figures completed, hence the delay. The operations of the past year, he said, had been very satisfactory. The load of the board had increased and the revenue was satisfactory. The difficulties were being overcome one by one, and the conditions were now normal. He said that if the members thought he had any shortcomings he would appreciate frankness rather than silence on their part. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN. Mr. Arthur thought that a great deal of the success of the board had been due to the first chairman, and j he moved that Mr. Strange be appointed’deputy chairman. Mr. Thomas seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Claxton appreciated Mr. I Arthur’s remarks with which he agreed, saying that there could have been no other man for the successful chairmanship of the early days of the board than Mr. Strange. CONGRATULATIONS. After the reading of lengthy annual reports from the chairman, engineers and manager, congratulatory remarks were made by various members upon the condition of the board’s affairs. Mr. Claxton stated that the object of the reports had been to give the __fullest. information from three different viewpoints. Mr. Strange thought that the beard could be congratulated upon the prompt attention to lines during stormy periods. The Horahora line was likely to be down for some time and the board’s auxiliary lines was supplying the present requirements. The engineer and the staff were to be complimented for their work during- the year. The troublemen who turned out at all hours of the night and day were to be congratulated for Lthe way in which they were always Iready to remedy defects in the lines, v Mr, Price congratulated the engineers for their reports and also the chairman for the manner in which he submitted his report, which clearly showed the position of the board. The manager’s report for the concise details of the finances was greatly appreciated. Referring to the recent discussions regarding supplies to towns in the board’s area, he said 1 he recommended that the actual costs of the reticulation of the town areas be submitted to the board. Mr. Thomas also made congratulatory remarks upon the reports presented. BORER IN POLES. Mr. Pohlen hoped that the matter of borers in the poles would be taken up seriously, as it was a most important matter, and suggested the fumigation of the ships on which the poles were carried. Mr. Price said that while in Rotorua he had visited the Forestry Department there, the officials requesting that a sample of the pole destroyed by the borer be forwarded on to them at Rotorua. The chairman did not think that any of the affected pole was left, but when another one was discovered he would see that a sample would be forwarded . Members of the board later intended to visit Rotorua to enquire into the suitability of jnci Zealand timber for power poles.

THE MONTHLY MEETING. Thtej ordina-ry monthly meeting which in the ordinary course of events would take place nexst week, was held immediately after the conclusion of the annual meeting. POWER FOR DAIRY FACTORIES. The New Zealand Co-op. Dairy Co. wrote accepting the rate and conditions proposed by the board for one year for their factories at Waitoa, Waharoa and other places, such as Paeroa and Ngatea, when fully electrified. MORRINSVILLE STREET LIGHT. An application by the Morrinsville Borough Council for the erection of an additional street light on the boundary at the Hamilton road was granted. TATUANUI HALL. Mr. A. J. Skinner, secretary of the Tatuanui hall committee, wrote asking the board either to exempt the committee from the 50 per cent increase in charges for lighting the hall or to install a meter. The power was seldom used during the summer months, and the picture proprietor generated his own power. The chairman recommended that the meter be installed and that a minimum of 5s a month would suit the case. It was decided to have the meter installed. POWER FOR WAHAROA . A request for power was made from Messrs. Gill, W. Symons and A. E. Polglase, of Waharoa. The applicants were now installing machines in anticipation. It was stated tfcat this line had not proved to be payable, but Mr. Pohlen was deputed to make further enquiries. WAIHI BOROUGH. The Waihi Borough Council wrote accepting the board’s proposals t>c reticulate the town. MATAMATA SCHOOL.

Mr. J. P. Kalaugher, director of technical education, Auckland, wrote in connection with the board’s decision to supply free power for cooking purposes at the Matamata school asking if the board intended to instal the heating point free of cost. The manager was instructed to re ply that this was not so. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee for the enuing year was appointed as follows: lessrs. Price, Arthur, Thomas, Flatt, the chairman (ah re-elected) and Mr. strange.