HOROWHENUA POWERT BOARD.

Shannon News, 21 August 1925, Page 3

HOROWHENUA POWERT BOARD.

monthly meeting. Members present at Tuesday’s meeting of -the Horowhenua Power Board were Messrs Monk (chairman), Brown, Ross, Barber, Matheson, Gunning, Mackay and Kilsby. Messrs Overton (consulting engineer), and Smith (engineer), were also present. An application was received from a resident of Raumati for the installation of electric light, but the secretary. had informed him that the Board was" centreing all its energies around tile dairying industry within the immediate future. Tlie secretary’s reply was confirmed. At the conference of Power Boards recently held in Wellington, explained the chairman, in connection, with a circular letter from the Society of Power Boards secretaries, it was felt advisable that the secretaries should form an association similar to that of the engineers, with a view to exchanging ideas as to accounts, administration, etc., SUPPLEMENTARY LOAN.

The Treasurer reported that since the last meeting of the Board, he (Mr Goldsmith) and the chairman had called upon the Government Life Insurance Commissioner with reference to a further loan for the completion of the reticulation in this district. It was pointed out to the Commissioner that another '£15,000 would be necessary to meet the present development of the scheme, and the Commissioner thought that if an official application was made, the Department’s Lending Board would consider the matter of letting the Power Board have this suin upon the same terms as the previous loans. The formal application was duly forwarded and the Board’s decision may be expected very shortly. The chairman said in connection with the proposed loan of £12,000, that this would hardly he enough for the work toi be done and the Finance Committee had decided that it was advisable to arrange for an extra £3OOO. It was better to do that, he said, than to have to go back and make further application. In the meantime, with the money coining in, this loan would complete the job. ACCOUNTS. Accounts for confirmation totalled £2567 8s 3d, of which £1221 has been paid to wiring group contractors, £920 for wages, £l3B freight, £227 SctlcLriss Accounts for payment amounted to £6412 9s Bd, which included £1356 16s 5d for the first half yearly instalment of the Board’s first loan of £40,000 from the Government Insurance Department. ' Transformers account for £llOO, bare copper wire for £1066, a new cars £BB9, ranges about £4OO, triple braided cable £265, water heaters £l3O, poles £309, M.D. insulators, etc £240, motors £139, and meters £SO. •

Over £2OOO has been received during the month for electricity, most of the large quarterly accounts having come in. * From Ist April to date the receipts for the loan account were: Installations £4944, service lilies £444. For the Power Fund the leoeipts were: Electricity £6119, meter rent £203, motors, ranges, etc., £IOBO. WORK OF THE MONTH.

The Engineer (Mr j. A. Smith) submitted the following report:— Line Construction.—The pole gang have erected 175 poles and rails on the Muhunoa East and West circuits and had one day off loading poles at two or three southern stations. No. 1 Wire Gang have run 1379 chains of wire of Kingston road, Shannon and Tokoxnaru districts, also built one substation and erected an A.B. switch on Kingston road. They have erected 19/24 foot poles and rails and run 17 services.

No. 2 Wire Gang have run 2027 chains of wire mostly on Mununoa West both E.H.T. and L.T. and erected 22 service poles and run 13 services also erected 8 earth guards. No. 3 Wire Gang have run i, chains of wire in the Wirokino Settlement and under the main Foxton Line, also erected 45 service poles and rails, 4 earth guards, and run 17 services.

No. 4 Wire Gang, working in the Te Horo, Otaki, Paraparaumu and Paekakariki districts, fiave run 1564 chains of wire, erected 8 service poles and 5. earth guards, and run 16 services and altered 3 services into 3 phase for ranges and motors. , No. 5 Wire Gang working on services and extension down Waitarere road, have run 315 chains of wire, erected 27 poles and rails, and run 25 services.

The Substation Fitters dismantled the substation at Ohau, the transformer of which is now on the 4-way switching tower, completed the substation on Beacji Road, Levin, completed the, substation on Te Horo Beach Road, which is livened up, completed the substation on Muhunoa Road West, completed the substation on Wirokino Settlement also built a substation on the soldiers’ settlement road, and one on Kuku road which are awaiting panels and transformers. They have also unloaded transformers and dried several out.

Particulars in detail were given ol the work done in the workshops. Installations—ln the Heatherlea Group Lunn and Henley are making good progress, having only -i more installations to complete. All the installations, completed have been livened up. Soldiers’ Settlement, Wirokino.—A. Allen has completed the wiring of these installations with the exception of some change-over switches and thermal cut outs for the niotor installations and we expect to have these livened up in the course of a few days. . , G. F. Eeles and Co., have completed the Central Development Farm and this installation has been livened up. They are now busy installing 5 Kilning motors for Mr F. S. Easton, Foxton, and have also several to install in the Shannon district. Ohau Group.—C. B. Gilmour expects to have this group completed

within a fortnight. All completed in this group have been livened up where the lines are completed. Te Horo Beach Group.,—G. F. Eeles mid Co. have completed this group and all consumers nave been iiveneu up. Paraparaumu Valley Road Group.— C. H. Marriot has made a start with me wiring and expects to have same completed in three weeks’ time. A "start will be made next week Lt possible to complete tlie Reikorangi Group, and following will be Buckiey, Barbers, and Potts Roads Groups. testing work has been carried out as follows;—Single phase meters 125, polyphase meters 48, seven ranges nave been tested, dried out and delivered to consumers.

During the month the more important industrial consumers have been connected up as follows: — Elaxmills.—-A. Seifert, 80 h.p.; W. Ross (Poplar Mill), 125 h.p.;. Ida Flaxnulling Co., Ltd., 65 h.p. Central Development Farm, 200 lights and 2/3 h.p. motors. Ten extensions to installations have been applied for including 2 motors. General.—With regal'd to further supplies of poles 1 would advise that authority be given to purchase against quotations which are now being called. No interruptions of supply have been experienced during the month except those arranged for. The maximum demand at the Power House is now over 678 k.w.

In connection with the engineer's report, the chairrqan said he liked to s.ee the transformers being changed. “That we have had to increase the size shows oiur load is gradually creeping up. Mr Matheson asked how long was the changing of transformers from size to size likely to last, and the consulting engineer (Mr 'Overton) said it was a very difficult matter to definitely say at the outset what size would finally be necessary. It did not cost much to change. IN CASE OF BREAKDOWNS. In connection with breakdowns of supply Mr Ross thought that arrangements should be made for all-nigh, telephone services in every district. The chairman said that the matter had already been takep up with the Telegraph Department. Mr Mackay stated that on a recent occasion the lights had been out fout nights running in Paraparaumu, ami he thought in a case of that sort that if any telephoning were done by private individuals the cost should he borne by the Board. The chairman suggested the sending of a “collect” wire. Mr Smith said he had been discussing the matter with the Telegraph Engiheer and it would be arranged for one continuous telephone in each district.