POWER BOARD'S EXPERIMENT.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 51, 9 October 1924, Page 3

POWER BOARD'S EXPERIMENT.

TREATMENT OF POLES. Attempt at Preservation. The problem of how to treat electric power poles so as to improve their durability has been under consideration by the Thames Valley Electric Power Board for some time, and at Tuesday’s meeting it was reported that experiments had already commenced. The engineers (Messrs. Gauvain and McLeod) reported as follows: “ A shipment of poles arrived at Kopu during last month by the Louis Theriault. Approximately 400 of these poles have been specially marked for identification and complete records will be kept in connection with the behaviour of this consignment and the cost of treating same.” The Biological Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Wellington, advised that the specimens of insects forwarded by the board had been identified as those of the branch cutting long horn (Benthelium munda), and Australian beetle which was very common under the bark of imported hard woods. Mr. J. Norman Spence, of Mangaiti, wrote offering his land to the Power Board for tree planting purposes. The price for the 2000 acres was £SOOO, plus a first mortgage of £765. Mr. Mervyn Wells, of Cambridge, also wrote offering a property as a tree-growing area for the sum of £1494. These letters were referred to a special committee.