HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 23 May 1924, Page 4

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

TEASUKEH'* B&POB/&

At • Tuesday's meeting ©i the Horowlieiiua Power Board the 'treasurer, Mr 1\ W. Goldsmith, reported as follows hi regard to alio iurthor instalment of loan 'money raised—£4o,ooo: "1 have the honour to report that on the 18th -April 1 delivered to the lender's solicitors, Messrs Tread well and Sons, Wellington, the debentures and other papers relating to this loan. These were found to he in order, and the solicitors advised that the loan money be paid over as ..provided in the .agreement '(between the Board and the Government Life Insurance Commissioner. On tMay 1 the first instalment of the, loan was received by the Board, the amount being £IO,OOO. The future instalments will amount to £3OOO per month 'until the whole loan Has ibeen paid. It seemed most probable that with the £IO,OOO paid in one sum, part ot this amount could he,spared, lor a little lime, so alter consultation Willi the chairman, a fixed deposit qf £SOOO was made with the Bank tor three months at oh per cent. There is a measure of uncertainty with regard to financial requirements of the wiring group contracts, hence it is not wise to tie. up the funds 100 tightly otherwise perhaps more money liught have been placed on fixed deposit. . , ■

Wiring Groups.—Payments of £sll lis (id and £356 13s 6d respectively have been made during the month, and will be amongst the accounts to be confirmed at this meeting. Group 1 Shannon is pretty well complete, the. sum ot £1133 'having bexm paid to the contractor, in Group 2, Shannon and Shannon to Levin, the contractor has received £778 for work done. The total liabilities on the waring group contracts of £Ti'ii have been reduced by the payments above stated, £l2ll. Deposits received amount to date to £l6lO 14? ENGLNEEH' S UEPOJ IT.

The Engineer reported; Line Erecting.—No. 1 pole gang have completed Olaki Borough with the exception of the beaches. The ■gang are now working in the Levin Borough. No. 2 pole gang have'completed tiie hiaiu line to J 'aekakariki wuli Hie exception ol a lew poles on the Haumati Estate. The greater portion ot the Paekakariki Township is also completed. No. 1 wire gang have done a lew short extensions and 44 service Junes iii the Shannon Borough ; they have also run out 892 chains or wiring and erected 27 service lines and*!) street lights in the Levin Borough. No. 2 wire gang are making-very good progress in Fox ton Borough and have run 1142 chains of wire, erected .10 street lights and 35 service lines. JNo. 3 wire gang have completed the main South line as far as Mill road, Otaki. This gang will continue the wiring and street lighting within Otaki 80-rough'. The pole cartiiiig lorry, has been employed running out wire on the Otaki-Pae-kakariki line, carting material' ex. ship Fox ton, .and lias also run out 200 poles, chiefly in Paekakariki, Otaki and Levin, besides 50 for the Telegraph Department; The sub-sta-tion litters are at present working in tiie Shannon and Paekakariki sub-, stations.

Workshops.—Tlie following j.s a summary or the principal work done in the ■workshops during the period: Six 11,000 volt sub-station panels; special iron-work for the Levin and Shannon sub-stations; one Ford car overhauled and, valves ground in; No, 3 truck worm-drive taken down and repaired on two occasions; 859 cross-arms- cut and bo.red; 100 angle hooks; 134-5 braces; 38 earth-guards; 150 top and spacing blocks; 100 earth pipes; 515 triangle straps; 115 street light braces; 27 special substation choke coils, and 2 11,000 volt air-break switches.

General.—Two Sample electric ranI ges have come to hand and I would recommend tihat authority toe given to purchase same lor demonstrating purposes, subject to their being found suitable. Tenders are invited for 40 ranges and 100 water 'heaters as per instructions at last meeting. With regard to street -lighting- at Shannon which v imder present circumstances is costing the Board more than permanent rafles will do. I would recommend that a committee he set up froim the Board to confer with the Borough Council in order to decide an equitahle basis of payment per la.rap, same to remain in force until the main supply is available.