HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 21 December 1923, Page 3

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

YESTERDAY’S MEETING.

The Horowhenua Electric Power Board mejt yesterday, Mr G. A. - Monk presiding. There 'were aj-sq -present: Messrs D. W. Matheson, W.. H. Gunning, A, Seifert, A. McKay, A. A, Brown, W* E- Barber, and C. Kilsby. AWKWARDLY SITUATED POLES. The Foxton Borough Council drew the Board’s attention to the fact mat. the Board had erected poles a'■•.mg the northern boundary of lue Borough in a most awkward ‘ position, thereby rendering it necessary that the trees .along: the northern bouudaiy of what is known as Victoria Park should be, cut down, whereas this could quite easily have been avoided had tire poles followed the road line. Any of the councillors would be p.eased to point oult ho.w, the thing might be remedied. Mr Barber said it had struck him that the poles were in a' most awkward position. .There had beer, plenty of room.

The engineer said the poles might never be used at all. If high tension wires were put on them they would have to be shifted. The matter was left to me engineer. FOXTON GAS WORKS. The Foxton Borough Council wrote asking if the Board would he wjJiing to appoint a committee ’of tinge to meet a similar committee .ci the Council to discuss the proposal that the Power Board should lake over tine.- Municipal Gasworks there, and to draw up reports for submimion to the two bodies. The chairman moved that the matter he held over until the next meeting. He did not think the Board bad the power to' purchase gas works and if it had he did. not think they should purchase municipal works. He would like the matter held over until Mr Ross could be present. Tjhe chairmanls mbfiion was carried. FOXTON PUMPING RATES.

_. The Foxton Borough Council wrote requesting the Board’s consent io a contract for seven years lor pumping h.p. between the hours of 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. for £l5O per annum. The engineer stated that ne had offered the Council 20 h.p. at ‘he £l5O a year. The recommendation oi the engineer (contained in his report) that the rate be £7 10 s per K.V.A. per year between 9 P-m. and 4 a.m.—the maximum demand measured quarterly — was adopted. SEASONABLE COMPLIMENTS.

At the conclusion of the business ; the ''chairman took t|he opportunity i to wish the Board and the" staff the 1 compliments of the season. Wuh; the coming of the new year he hoped the Board would: be well on with the undertaking. If any Hydro-Electnc Board should pay and be a success the Horowhenua Board should, as it had every advantage in its favour and enjoyed many which others did 1 not. He had been asked whether secondary industries, would be started in the district. He did not think they could expect big industries, but there would probably be small ones. He hoped the fiaxniilJs would be encouraged as they had proved ,a valuable industry to the district. There -ws little doubt that there was much land which was only suitable for flax growing. Regarding Managhao, which lie in company with other members of the? Board, had recently visited, there seemed every likelihood that there would he some power available within a reasonable time, though the whole plant would not be in action for about 12 months. It was not until one stood and looked at it that he recognised the magnitude of the undertaking and he thought the engineers a,nd others responsible were to be greatly congratulated on their sueCGSS. Mr A. Seifert, in reciprocating the chairman’s- good wishes, said he did not altogether agree that no large industries would spring up in the district, In. America many large towns had grown up through one individual starting in a small way to manufacture some article for which a demand wlas created. A certain machine, for instance, which was used in the flax industry was manufactured at Marion in Ohio, U.S.A. The man-who made it had started when Marion was smaller than Shannon and the town had gbown with and round the factory. Manufacturers were often led to start. in a small place by reason oi the low rates and the. fact that the skilled hands could grow up about the factory. , Messrs Barber and Matheson also reciprocated the chairman’s good wishes.