ELECTRIC POWER EXTENSIONS.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 46, 4 September 1924, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER EXTENSIONS.

DETAILS OF PROPOSALS. Report by Engineers. Details of proposals for the extension of the reticulation of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board s area j were contained in a report submitj ted by the engineers, Messrs. Gauvain and McLeod, to Tuesday’s meeting of f the board. 1 The report was as follows: “In accordance with the request that we should advise the board as to the advisability or otherwise of increasing the gangs on the various sections in the board’s area the matter has been fully considered since the last meeting and we beg to report as follows:

“ For the purpose of constructional work the district at present is divided up into three sections operating from the following* depots:—Paeroa, Te Aroha and Matamata. “ Faeroa Section.—A main line gang is now carrying out constructional work between Ngatea, Pipiroa and Waitakaruru and should complete both the main line and service connection in about eight weeks. On the completion of this work these men will be moved to the Ngatea-Kaihere section. In addition to the above some four men are engaged in transformer and service connection in various parts. MORRINSVILLE DISTRICT.

“ Gangs are engaged on this section as follow:—No. 1 gang on Mangateparu back road and on completion of that work in from six to eight weeks’ time will be moved to the Tahuna section. No. 2 gang is engaged in Morrinsville town and surrounding districts, chiefly on branch lines and service connections. They should complete this work in about six weeks and then will work in conjunction with No. 1 gang. No. 3 gang is at present engaged on services and will shortly be removed to Manawaru and then to Waiorongomai, and all this work should be completed in eight or ten weeks. They will then be engaged on extensions in that area. MATAMATA SECTION. “ Four gangs are in operation in the Matamata section. No. 1 gang is at present engaged on Mortenson’s road and upon completion of this will be moved to Tapapa road. No. 2 gang is engaged on branch lines in che vicinity of Waharoa and will be moved to Wardville road as soon as the necessary poles come to hand, after which Week’s road will be done. When 'this work is completed the gang will be moved to the Puketurua section. No. 3 gang* is engaged on services and short extensions round Matamata and will be placed upon the Okoroire-Cambridge road work as soon as the necessary poles come to hand, after which it will augment No. 1 gang on the Tapapa road. “No. 4 gang is employed upon services and the Te Poi section. It will be kept on services and general maintenance. RECOMMENDATIONS. “ Taking all points into consideration, we do not recommend that any further gangs be established. The work in sight at the present time, apart from the Patetonga section, should be completed within about six months, with possibly the addition of a few extra men, who would be taken on if required. The inauguration of further gangs at the present stage of operations is not warranted, as each new gang necessitates further expenditure in transport and tools, quite apart from the extra expense incurred in breaking in such gangs. Whilst it is necessary to push on with the erection of the lines which have been authorised the fact must not be lost sight of that it is more profitable to the board to connect services on lines that are already in operation, and these can be handled with our existing organisation. We would point out that the policy of loaning engines to prospective consumers, so that they are not put to the expense of purchasing new engines, provides power to these consumers, and they are not placed under any great disability because the lines are not yet there, and this policy allows the board to make the most extensive and best use of its existing organisation. DISTRIBUTION OF POLES. “ Poles ex Louis Theriault will be elected on the following* sections:— Mortensen’s road, 2 miles 30 chains, 40 30ft poles and 20 24ft poles; Wardville road, 5 miles, 6 30ft poles and 50 24ft poles; Niklin’s extension, Putaruru, 40 chains, 8 30ft poles and 20 24ft poles; Hetherington’s extension, Tirau, 1 mile, 32 30ft poles and 25 24ft poles; Mangateparu back road, 1 mile additional, 30 30ft poles; Waiorongomai, 70 chains, 28 30ft poles and 50 24ft poles; school road, Manawaru, 18 chains, 8 30ft poles; Tauhei back road, off swamp road, 1 mile 40 chains, 35 30ft poles and 50 24ft poles; Dodd’s road, Morrinsville, 18 chains, 8 30ft poles; Mangateparu, (Continued in Next Uolumn.)

Tahuna, 7 miles 40 chains, allowing for L.T. 1£ miles beyond township, 130 35ft poles and 50 24ft poles; Waihi borough, 2 miles 20 chains, 44 35ft poles and 58 30ft poles; NgateaWaitakaruru, 4 miles 40 chains, to complete, 76 35ft poles, 40 30ft poles and 50 24ft poles; total poles, 250 35ft, 293 30ft poles, 315 24ft poles; balance 24ft poles over, 207; arriving via Auckland for Wardville road, 150.” Additional lines authorised were:— Week’s road, 2 miles 40 chains, 98 30ft poles and 30 24ft poles; Okoroire, Hinuera Valley, 1 mile 60 chains, 45 30ft poles and 20 24ft poles; Puketurua, 6 miles, 30 35ft poles, 120 30ft poles and 60 24ft poles; Tapapa, 5 miles 40 chains, 105 35ft poles, 60 30ft poles and 60 24ft poles; total poles for these lines were 135 35ft poles, 323 30ft poles and 170 24ft poles, the 35ft and 3Oft poles to be obtained via Auckland.

The balance of poles required were:—Waihi borough, 16 40ft poles; Mangateparu-Tahuna, 30 miles, 645 35ft poles, 240 30ft poles and 340 24ft poles; amount ordered for next shipment, 16 40ft poles, 755 35ft poles, 240 30ft poles and 340 24ft poles. Mr. F. E. Flatt considered that the report was very helpful to the board members and he urged that a similar report be submitted quarterly with the additional information of what material was available. The report was adopted.