HOROWHENUA ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 23 March 1923, Page 3

HOROWHENUA ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. " \ The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua. Power Board was held in Levin on Wednesday. There were present Messrs.. G. A. Monk (chairman), D. W. Matheson, W. H. Gunning, A. Seifert, A. Mackay, C. Kilsby, W. Barber, A. Ross and A. A. Brown. SITE AT SHANNON.

Mr D. M. O’Connor, ol Greymoutli, wrote with regard to the section the Board was purchasing from him at Shannon. ’ The Council could not give permission under the by-laws for anything less than a chain road, in, but to do this would necessitate the removal of a cottage. A gully woubl also have to be piped and filled' in, anil this work would more than absorb the money paid, for the section. He suggested that a Board accept a quarter of a chain right-of-way into the site.

'The Engineer said a way ten links wide would be sufficient for the lowtension line. There was other access to tlie section'from, a road.

Mr Gunning suggested that the Board should obtain a right-of-way a chain wide and dispense with the dedication and construction of a road. ’At some future time a local body might put a road in that would get over the present difficulty. On Mr Gunning’s motion, it was decided to accept Mr O’Connor’s offer of a quarter-chain road, but to inform him that the Board preferred a chain right-of-way.

ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The Engineer reported:— Buildirigs.—-The erection ol' depot building is progressing satisfactorily, and the contractor, Mr Standen,- has all the walls erected except a portion of the front walk He expects to Ff&ve the roof principals in ’ position this week. - With regard to the dwelling, brick cottage, plan No. 1, the contract tor, Mr'Whitaker, has now made > a commencement with the work, and is well ahead with the foundations. Tenders.—ln accordance with directions given at last Board meeting, closing dates for the following lenders were- delayed three months: T) Braided and megohm grade cable; (2) constant current transformers, and (3) street lighting material; The tenders for static transformers were also delayed four months. Owing t to the rising tendency of the copper market, it was thought advisable 1o allow the tenders for bare copper wire to proceed as originally called. Tenders Were, therefore, received up till the loth inst., and are submitted herewith. The price of copper is a .matter which, varies, considerably from day to day, and I would recommend that this tender be left in the hands of a small committee to act'when a favourable opportunitv arises to do so. i

Pole-carting, Equipment. Messrs. Hatrick and Co. have sent forward (he pole-carting lorry, but a number of accessories are yet to be supplied betore delivery of same can be taken here.

Board’s By-laws.—l have written up a set of regulations governing the suppiy of electricity to consumers within the Board’s district; same tire much on the same lines as those used in the Waikato. 1 would recommend that these regulations .he handed over to the Board’s solicitors for verification and drafted in the form of a by-law. ■ The report was adopted, the bylaws to he circulated amongst the members. 1 , RISE IN COPPER. Discussing the Engineer’s reference to the cost of copper, Mr Seifert said before the. war it was quoted at £6l to £62. To-day it was £7l or £72, thus only showing a slight advance compared with other prices. Inst.-ad of looking for a further drop, he thought they should expect a rise, and that it would be wise to place an order. Mr Gunning said the metal market generally was rising. ■ Mr Barber .supported the Engineer’s suggestion of setting up a committee to purchase copper when the quotation Avas favourable, and it was adopted. The chairman and Messrs. Mathe&on .Brown, the secretary and Engineer were appointed a committee to deal with tenders. ERECTION OF COTTAGES. I he committee consisting of Mes rs. Monk, Matheson, Brown, the Engineer . and the Secretary, reported having carefully considered the question-of the erection of cottages and the tenders received for the undertaking.

Four local and one outside tender were received. For No. 2 plan in wood, the-prices ranged from C!)SS In IXtO. For No. L plan the woodenbuilding prices were l'r,oin £llls to £IO2O. ‘The committee did not, however, favour wood. Concrete appeared to he slightly cheaper than brick, hut the committee thought the latter more suitable. The lowest price m brick for No. 1 plan was £l3lO, and for No. 3 £1230. The committee thought that

I Imre was better value at the price lor No. I than for No. 3, and consequently eventually decided for the meantime to accept one tender only, that of Mr J.. Whitaker, for No. 1 cottage at, £l3lO. Afterwards alterations to the ceiling and a better hath were authorised, which increased the price i>v l’If).

Sub-station.—it was found that il this was included in Mr Standen’s depot com nu t lie would undertake lo tio .this. work according to the plans and specifications for £250. The committee accepted this offer. The committee visited the site and decided to place the first cottage near the easlein boundary of the property, with a frontage to Mako Mako Road. The report was adopted. ;