HOROWHENUA POWER COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 17 July 1923, Page 3

HOROWHENUA POWER COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Power. Board was held in Levin an Monday. Mr G. A. Monk being in the. chair. There were also present "Messrs Brown, Seifert, Gunning McKay, Barber, and Ross. CORRESPONDENCE.

A letter was received from the District Railway Manager’s Office re a charge of £2 2s. made for demurrage on a truck of poles left at Otaki for four days, and agreeing as the. -result of representations made by the Board’s secretary to reduce this to 14/-. —Agreed that the secretary’s action he confirmed.

Notice was received from the N.Z. Power Boards. Association to the effect that the Power Boards conference "will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July -27, the date being fixed to allow of the attendance of the. Minister of Public Works and members of Parliament who represent Power Boards and Power Board areas. The chairman said that the question of a delegate! must be. settled and- in connection with this he would suggest that the Engineer and County Clerk be instructed to accompany such delegate. He. further suggested that a committee be set up to frame remits. Mr Seifert moved that the chairman be delegate. This being seconded by Mr Gunnings was carried unanimously. A firm of financial agents wrote stating that,., if the Board required of was likely to require loan money, they -were in a position to arrange loans up to £200,000 at 5$ per cent., brokerage to- be!-l per cent. In connection with this the chairman stated- that the Board hoped to make better arrangements. The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. ENGINEER,’ Si REPORT.

Buildings: The contractor has completed the petrol and oil stores with the exception -of hanging the door. The depot, buildings is now quite completed except forgone or two leaks in the roof, which are. yet $o be repaired, and the contractor i$ entitled to the balance of his money, less 5 per cent, maintenance. . The contractor for the brick residence is making good progress, and the contract will be finished m about two weeks’ time; Tenders and Contracts: I have been notified that Messrs P. R. BailUe and Co. have confirmed our order for 15 tons of bare copper wire on the same terms ag in contract No. 8, except that the basis wiil be £75 per ton. tve-g-ru mg remaining portion of. the BaUlie contract which was withheld on account of the high price of copper, i am of opinion that a. small committee should be appointed with power to act at any time, it is opportune to do so. Messrs Redpath and toons ha\e practioaly delivered all of the material under, contract No. 4i for low tension insulators and hardware. During the month ,a shipment of 515 poles arrived .and were distributed irom Paraparaumu to Shannon, same being of very good quality. In the case of’ scraped' poles sent to Shannon. seven were condemned —three o-i account oi shortness of length and lour as being unshapely. These, however, have been passed as ordinary round poles. I have been noUiieu that another shipment of 530 poles, is now due at Wellington.

Pole carting: Since, last geiierai meeting full time was not made on this work, and the. line between Foxton -and Shannon, could not be completed on account of the road at Shan-' non bridge. The carting equipment .is now engaged at the. Levin dump. Three hundred 'and forty poles have been carted out, making a total of 1006.

Line Foreman and Installation , Inspector: Regaling the appointment of these two officers, I would like authority to proceed in the matter. It is hoped to commence pole erecting this week. APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTORS.

In, answer to a question from Mr Barber, the Engineer, Mr Overton, said he had two men in view for the position ol' Foreman and Installation Inspector. The foreman had been with him in the. Waikato and was thoroughly satisfactory. The man he had in mind for installation inspector had a great deal of experience in patting in milking plants as well as general experience. 1 As a considerable extent of the Board’s operations would be in connection with the installation ol milking plants this was a point worth considering. GENERAL.

Accounts totalling £2505 were passed for payment. The secretary said he would like to draw the attention of the Beard to the amount of the imprest account; £250 was not sufficient and every month he had to approach some of the members to get cheques signed. Last month he. had to pay £295 to the Railway Department, 'and; as these payments would continue as long as the poles were being trucked, he suggested that, the amount be. increased to £SOO.

Mi - Seifert supported the increase, which was agreed to. > The meeting then went int'o conn mittee to frame remits for the coming conference in Wellington.