HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 27 July 1926, Page 3

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

RETIREMENT OF MR OVERTON.. At last meeting of the Horowhenua Power Board the chairman (Mr G. A. Monk) announced the retirement of Mr T. R. Overton, the Board’s consulting engineer, whose engagement had now expired. Mr Overton, in some farewell remarks; thanked the Board members for their, many little kindnesses while he had acted .as their engineer. He had thought there would toe many difficulties to contend with, but there had actually been very few for a new system such as this, where usually there were matters requiring smoothing out and settling. The only business which did not appear to be settled was that of the dairy factories. The load had come on, far quicker than ever lie had anticipated. Water-heaters and ranges in this district liad come on very well indeed. The Board showed a fairly bold attitude in the installation of cooking apparatus, even against a fair amount of prejudice as the result of the practical failure of electric* cooking in Wellington. The Horowhenua'' Power Board was, in all probability, the first Board in the Dominion to establish this method of cooking on a sound, successful basis. The Hutt Valley and Manawatu-Oroua Power Boards had also done well in this direction, but they had not equalled the business done by Horowhenua in water-heaters. The Board had received no serious complaints in this connection, and in remembering the service- rendered, and the price charged, this.was the cheapest service offered by the Board. He appreciated the help of Mr Goldsmith during the constructional period, the difficulties of which would, probably, never again lie experienced. As the balance sheet would show, the work had been done at the most economical price possible. The chairman, continued Ma 1 Overton, liad been the very essence of kindness and thoughtful in every way, while he was unique in the way he looked after the staff. If he saw a man doing his job the chairman stood up for him and always saw that the staff had a fair run. If a staff had to work under a chairman who was desirous of their receiving fair treatment, they responded very much quicker to requests and instructions. He wished the Board all success, which, he felt, would accrue to it, and he hoped the Board would give , such consideration and assistance to Mr Smith, their Engineer, as was necessary in times of difficulty, and which the laymen did not fully ap- - pfreciate. The speaker hoped they would (give consideration to those difficulties, and lie felt, sure they would find a ready response in the Engineer, who was a Conscientious and very capable officer. ‘ In conclusion he said the question of dairy factory rates was being discussed by himself and the Finance Committee, and- they hoped to bring down something acceptable to everyone. The chairman (Mr Monk) responded on behalf &f the Boarffi Mr Overton had formally parted\ from the Board some 12 months agd, but had remained in the. capacity of consulting engineer, but there had seemed so little for him to do, and the work . had been so well finished that he had decided to relnquish his position. The speaker said he was not usually^'given to throwing bouquets as people were in the habit of looking dubious bn those occasion, but Mr Overton had given them a system that was second to none in the country, and at a cost which was, by no means, excessive. Whether industrial or household load the people had given their support in a very fine manner, and the Board could now look forward to the future When the concern would toe paying. Like other concerns they had to draw a little on capital, but he was quite confident that, with the way in which the load was building up,' they would be able to use a little to pay off interest and sinking fund. Reverting to Mr Overton, the speaker observed that in all his ;; experience with local bodies, he had never worked with such an easy man to get on with as Mr Overton. When he first came here they were practically new chums, who had never seen a district reticulated, and one wondered how the thing was going to start. Today, the whole of the Horowhenua was electrified, full use was being made of it and Mr Overton could , always point to> Horowhenua and sav “That Is my work”—it would be" a testimonial to him wherever be went. (Hear, hear).