HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 22 July 1924, Page 4

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Power Board was held in the Borough Chambers on Tuesday,, the Chairman, Mr. G. A. Monk, presiding. Also present, Messrs Matheson, Belfort, Brown, Barber, Boss, Gunning. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs ivilsbv and Mackay. Correspondence.

The Public Works Department wrote that the electric service lines from the Mangahao to Shannon power-house ha.been constructed according to the Government requirements and that the Board might use such line in .accordance with its licence. —Received. The Public Works Department wrote in answer to the Board's inquiry, that to the best of their belief, the clause allowing 5 per cent for prompt payment for bulk electricity supplied by the Department, had been deleted from all recent agreements, such being the expressed intention of the Department. 'They were not in a position, however, to state this delinitely, and advised the Board to write to the Chief Electrical Engineer on the matter, but stated, that the discount clause was an inadvertent one in the standard agreement being meant for retail consumers only.—Received. ; , Accounts totalling £3428 11s 2d were passed for payment. Engineer’s Report. The Engineer, Mr. T v Overton, reported as follows: — ' ' ' Line Construction. —No. 1 Pole Gang have completed erecting poles in the Levin Borough and are now engaged.on the Eangiuru and Tasman Beach Settlements, Otaki. Wet ground and loose shingle has been experienced in this area which has hindered the work considerably. The poles erecting in' Otaki Borough will be finished on Monday. This gang will then undertake the low extensions for Bruce Road and after this a commencement will be made on the Levin-Foxton Line. Wiring Gang No. 1 have .completed the Mangahao-Shannon low tension lines, including 5 milking sheds and 6 house service lines. They have also run the feeders from Levin main substation to Oxford and Cambridge Streets, besides tying in all connections at the tower poles. The Beach Road railway crossing and 11,000 volt lines feeding to Otaki-Foxton' and Beach Road are also finished. Within the Levin Borough the gang have run 1491 chains of wire, erected 8 street lamps and completed 20 service lines. No. 2 Wire Gang. —During the month this gang has been cut down to two men and one improver. They have anchored back llpoles on ..the Levin-Fox-ton high tension line, which were placed, along the edge of a deep drain, recent wet weather having loosened the land on the ditch side and made this particular work necessary. They have erected 11 street lamps, run low tension extensions and service lines to 20 houses, fixed a small number of fuse-boxes, earth-guards and angle hooks on the FoxtonrShannon line, making the latter now ready for livening up. No. 3 Wire Gang.—Working in the Borough of Otaki, have run out 1320 chains of wire, erected 14 street lamps and run 22 house service lines. No. 4 Wire Gang.—Employed on the Otaki-Packakariki line have run 1840 chains of wire, strained and tied in 378 chains of 11,000 volt line, fixed -1 sets of earth-guards and placed 5 telephone connections underground. The lino is now completed to a point about Imile North of Waikanao. Sub-Stations Gang.—Have dried out and connected two temporary supply transformers —one for the Levin depot and the other for the Mangahao-Shan-non Road. They have erected outdoor platforms on the Mangahao-Shan-non line* and one south of Maifakau. The switch-board cubicles for Levin and Shannon sub-stations have also been unpacked and placed in position for erection.

Pole carting Lorry.—The lorry has been engaged considerably on carting out wire on the main south line and in the Levin Borough area. A large amount of material has been cleared ex rail to Levin depot. 197 poles have been distributed in' the Otaki B'each areas and on the Te Horo-Hautere cross sub-circuit. Workshops. —During the month six 11,000 volt panels have been completed, making a total of 37 to date. Two special air-break switches and 2 sets of busbars, insulator clamps and choke coils were made up for the Otaki substation. No.' 3 truck was completely overhauled and the shop engine fitted with new piston rings. No. 1 truck lias been fitted with an -extra air jet which has proved economical from a petrol- consumption point of view. Wiring of the depot building is now being done by the workshop men. In addition to routine repair work, the following have been.turned out: — C!ross;urms 346, stays 485, hand-rail sets 2, earth-pipes 36, eye bolts 48, angle hooks 58, earth-guard sets 20, top and spacing blocks 140', large shackles 234.

Installations.—Group 11, Levin Borough—3o lighting applications; group 12, Levin Borough —9 motors, total 54 h.p., have been closed and tenders advertised. The thiTd Otaki district group, consisting of 94. lighting, 9 milking motors, 2 pumping motors, 7 water heaters and 5 ranges have also been completed and tenders called for same. A group of dairy factory installations is now being formed and the managing officials of'each factory within reach-of the present lines are being waited upon. So far, I have reason to believe that the prospects of supplying electricity to all of th'o factories are good. With regard to the group contracts now being advertised —; the closing date falls on the 25th of this month, and in order to waste as little time as possible in going on with the work, I would advise that authority be given to act in the matter of awarding same. During the month 7 additional houses have been connected in Shannon, and 145 installations finally inspected and passed for payment. The total number of consumers signed up-to*

date in the Board's district are as under:— Lighting .. •• liauges .. • • “ Water Heaters .. ,• • *9 Industrial Motors ' . • 33 Contracts.—Contract No. 10—Supply and Uci*very of transformers A. D. iviiey and Co. Ltd.—42 transformers ot various sizes have been received. Contract No. 15—Supply and delivery of sub-station cubicles has b’een comPl Con tract No. 20— Supply and delivery of. testing instrument and oil drying equipment has been completed. Contract No. 19—Supply and delivery of single-phase Watt-meters has been completed. . Contract No. 30—Supply and delivery of water keater elements—elements have been received. Contract No. 2—Supply and delivery of tallowwood —a further 9000 feet has been received. Tenders in respect of contract 29 Ranges; 33—11,000 volt insulators; 35 —Cooper tanks for electric water heaters axe scheduled herewith. 1 Tenders are now being invited for 15 toils of bare copper wire. During the month I found it necessary to secure U quantity of triple-braided wire in order to complete Packakariki township. After obtaining quotations an order was placed with- Messrs Tolley and Son, Ltd., for 5 miles of 7/.064 and 10 miles of 7/.o44—urgent requirements being supplied ex. stocks —remainder from indent.

Examination for Wireman's Licenses. —An examination under the Board's Licensing By-law is being conducted i to-day;' four master wiremen and six wirei: on have presented themselves for , examination.

Flax Mill Rates. —In view of the fact that, flax milling firms are asking for special rate contracts over a term of years, I would recommend that the rate as at present appearing on the Board’s schedules of charges be struck out ami that flax-mills be treated iu the same manner as other consumers requiring 20 h.p. or more. General.—l have to report having consulted with the engineer to the Manawutu-Oroua River Board in regard to his enquiry for a supply of 200 h.p. I am of opinion that this board should treat the supply of power to the River Board in as liberal a manner as possible, as the ultimate outcome of the River scheme, if gone on with, will mean closer settlement of swamp lands for dairying purposes, and from the Board’s point of view, will be a good source of revenue Ufrom milking machines. The greater portion of ' the proposed supply will only be required for about 21j years and I would recommend that the following quotation bo confirmed: —

Providing that the larger, size motors arc of the" Synchronous or autoSynehronous type, the rate shall be one penny per unit on the dredge switchboard at 4 points, one mile from this Board's 11,000 volt lines, the first being Foxton-Levin Road, Popular Mill, Mouth of Tokomaru Stream and Tokomaru. Extensions of line beyond one mile, as recovered from lines after the work is finished, to be taken over by the Power Board at valuation.

In moving the adoption of the engineer’s report the chairman said he would like to draw the Board’s attention to the fact that over 1000 consumers were now booked up, and that it looked as if they would have 1500 by Christmas. Regarding tlvc flax-mill recommendation ho would recommend that a committee consisting of Messrs Matheson, himself and the engineer be appointed to deal with the matter.

, Mr. Ross ashed what was the method of inspection of wiring completed. Tlie engineer stated that the consumers were also installation inspectors. Before a job was finished it was tested by the installation officer who was also liable to visit the work during the course of the work. The report was adopted. General. A circular was received from the Executive of the Power Board’s con.ferencc setting forth the remits which would come up for confirmation. The chairman was appointed to attend as delegate to the conference with the engineer and secretary. The customary vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting. TREASURER’S REPORT.

Theit reasurer, Mr P. W. Goldsmith, reported as follows: ’ Wiring Group: 1 have to report that including to-day’s payments the fol-, lowing amounts have been paid, under the various headings:— Group I—Shannon,, R. Y. Walls and Go., Ltd., £ll9B lie lid. Group 2—Shannon, etc., G. F. Eeles. and Co., £1316 2s 7d. Group 3 —Foxton, R. P. Walls and Co., Ltd., £505 18s. Group 4—Levin, G. F. Eeles and Co., £341 18s. Group 5, Levin —Lunn and Henley, £258 14s Bd. No. 6—Levin, Allen and Gilmour, £l9B 2s 6d. ‘ Group 7—Otaki, G. F. Eeles and Co., £3B.

Total, £3853 7s Bd. The total receipts lor deposits and installations to date, amount to £2723. NO accounts have as yet been sent out to those customers who are wired up, but have nof, yet received the current. Accounts were rendered to Shannon consumers of current about the Ist of; the month, the total of the Bills for*the period (9th May to 30th June) was £158,12s 2d. Of this sum £IOB 13s 8d has been paid to date. The meter rent for the Shannon area amounts to £5 10s per month. „ „ . Office Assistant and Collector.— There has been a large response from young men, and those not so young, to fill this position. The total number applying was 96. ! , Amongst so large a number there are naturally many good applications from very capable men, the majority are from young fellows desiring to improve their present positions. It is not an easy matter 40 make a selection from so large a number, but as I believe it would best serve the Board to be guided by the general principle of previous experience and training in an offloe of repute in electrical matters, T therefore beg to recommend the appointment of Mr W. A. Sharp, former-

Jy of the. Electricity Department oi the Dunedin City (Council and who is now Clerk and Collector to tne Palmerston Norm Hospital Board. Accounts for Confirmation and Payment : Tfle accounts for confirmation comprise two fortnightly periods oi wages, and sundry contractors’ accounts for tlie various wiring groups -—tile total amount being £2622 ids "id. Imprest payments, including sightdrafts on account of shipments oi bolts and insulators, railway freight on poles, and .one gro.up wiring payment etc. account for £328 13s sd. Deposit on R. Y. Walls and Co.’s wiring group contract No. 1 has also been refunded—amount £34 Os 3d. There are various payments on the pay roll in respect to contracts let some time -agoi; notably Contract No. 20, testing instruments arid oil drying equipment £320, also Contract No. 30, water heaters £156 the National Electrical and Engineering Go., Ltd., being the contractors for hot-h these contracts. A further £2OO is also put down for Messrs Lawrence and Hanson, on account insulator contract No. 3. Messrs A. D. Riley and C 0.., Ltd., are to receive. 90 per cent, instalment on Contract No. 15, the amount being £945, for substation gear. The first payment on account of Wiring Group No. ?, Foxton, contractors Messrs R- Y. Walls and Co., Ltd., is on the pay roll, amount £505 18s. The report was adopted.