HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 25 January 1924, Page 2

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

monthly meeting.

The Horowhenua Power Board met on Monday, Mr G. A. Monk piesidin(r. There were also present Messrs D. 8 W. Matheson, W. H. Gunning, A. Seifert, A. I. McKay, A. A. Pjown, A. Boss, W. E. Barber, and C. Kiisby. A letter was received from P. k. Baillie and Co.. Wellington, asking lor refund ol £62, a deposit on then cop-pec contract, now completed. Referred to the engineer and treasurer with power to act. FOXTON GASWORKS. The deferred letter from the Foxton Borough Council regarding the setting up of a committee of tne Board to consider the possibility of the Boaid purchasing 1 the Foxton ; Gas WorkSj was considered in committee and a motion carried replying to the Borough Council that the Board could not see its way to fall in with the suggestion at the present time. TENDER FOR COTTAGE. The committee set up to consider the tender of Mr A. E. Sitanden loi a cottage for the Board in Mako Mako Road, Levin, reported as follows: Information was placed before the committee that solid concrete walls had proved very satisfactory in certain cases, and if this class of hinldjng was adopted it would mean a considerable saving. It was understood that the contractor would put up tne house in solid walls (and with a few extras in former tender left out) for about £IOO less than the original tender of £1176. The committee decided to refer the matter back to the Board with the recommendation that tne original plan be used for erection of cottage in concrete with solid walls and other minor alterations provided the contractor will undertake the work for £IOO less than his original price. The chairman stated that the contractor would not consent to do the work for £IOO less; £76 less was the lowest he would go. A motion was earned accepting; the tender at £llOO REPORT ON ACTIVITIES.

Mr T. R. Overton, engineer to the I Board, presented the following report I on the progress of its works during I the month:— . ' , , , h „ I The holiday vacation interrupted tne I usual rate, of progress but all gangs I are again at work. , I Buildings: The walls of cottage at I Shannon aire now complete and con- | crete floors in outbuildings have been I laid. Steel frames of windows have I been placed in position and a start is I being made with the roof structure. I The sub-station walls are practiI cally finished and the contractor is now arranging his concrete mixingi and hoisting plant to proceed with the I Owing to the heavy cost and difficulty to procure the small number of roof entrance insulators required, I I have decided to make slight alterations at the top of the building in order to permit side entrances of lme wnes through plate glass being The extra cost of these alterations will be I approximately £SQ. TENDERS AND CONTRACTS. I Contract No. 19 —Wattmeters: 1

I would recommend that a portion ot I this contract, namely for the supply I and delivery of single phase meters, I be awarded to Messrs A. D. Rfi®y an d I Co. Ltd,, as representatives of Messrs I Ferranti Limited, Hollinwood, England, and that the quantity be increased from 750 to 1000 metres—the I total price being £l3lß 10s; that the second portion of the contract, namely for Polyphase meters be offered to Messrs Garrick, Wedderspoon and Co. of Christchurch, as representatives ol I the Sangamon Electrical Co. of CanI ada, the price being at contract scheI dule rates, £1285. Contract No, 20-Testing Instruments I and Oil Drying Equipment ; I would I recommend that the tender of the NaI tional Electrical and Engineering Co., Ltd., at a total price of £391 10s, be I accepted for same. Line Lighting: No. 1 pole gang have I reached a point on the Tokomaru line about 1J miles past Seifert's Mill, but I the work of this gang has been rendered difficult owing to the fact that a good deal of wet country has been met with, and many of the poles have I had to be snigged some distance by hand. , No. 2 pole gang have commenced on the Otaki-Paekakariki line. As the I term of hire for the horse at present I being used by 'this gang (owned by Mr Mudgway) cannot ibe extended, and the price to purchase has been fixed 1 at £25, harness included, subject to | the chairman examining this particu-

lar horse, I would recommend that same be purchased as it will be required for a period of three or four months yet. No. 2 wiring gang have run 3o(X) I chains of wire and have strained and I bound in approximately 7.) miles of I line between Levin and Shannon. The service gang have fitted and erected all service poles pn the Levin Shannon section and are now erecting low tension lines to Collins and others from the| main line. The pole lorry has distributed 264 poles andhthe main Tokomaru line has been completed. 1 Workshops: During the period 200 I cross-arms, 250 braces and a quantity

| of earth-guards, besides special work I for sub-stations has been made up. I Sub-station panels are now being asI sembled. For this particular work I found it necessary to purchase a small lathe, and after obtaining quotations the offer of the Manawatu Machinery Exchange Co. at £67 10s net was acH cepted, and the lathe was accordingly installed between Christmas and the New Year. General: Framework in the Levin sub-station is now well forward. An offer was received by cable from A. C. Brown, Newcastle, for 25 No. 2 and 45 No. 3 poles at schedule rates as per contract Nto. 1. As this offer could only remain open for a very short period, I accepted, subjected to 100 service poles being also included, at the same schedule rates. Confirmation from A. C. Brown has been received. Messrs Tolley and Son, Ltd., have notified that a shipment of triple braided wire is due at the end of this month.