HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

Shannon News, 24 August 1926, Page 4

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD.

The Horowhenua Power Board met on Tuesday, Mr. G. A. Monk presiding. Also present were Messrs C. Kilsby, A. Ross, W. E. Barber, T. G. Vincent, A. J. Petherick, W. S. Gunning, and the engineer'(Mr. J. A. Smith). Local Bodies’ Loans. J. Buxton, Ltd., Wellington, drew attention to the proposed Local Bodies’ Loans Bill recently read in the House of Representatives. Although the writers (a Wellington firm of brokers) would not be affected by. the passage of the Bill, they considered it would be trespassing very much on the liberty of ratepayers in compelling them to obtain special leave of a special rate board before doing any improvements to their area. They did. not suggest that- 'political assistance or resistance would be used in connection with Local Bodies Works, under the proposed Act, but it certainly, appeared to them that the proposal required the most carefui consideration by local bodies. . The consent of the Minister of. Finance, which had no-w been obtnined, was surely sufficient protection against local bodies making errors in judgment. The letter was received. The chairman observed that, in his experience, so far as local bodies were concerned, it was advisable to have some such board supervise to some extent, the borrowing ' which has ; been going on. A lot of money had been spent in New Zealand and a good deal wasted where, possibly, a little supervision outside local conditions might have placed a different aspect on the proposal to raise loans. Reduction In Rates. The Medical Superintendent of the Otaki Sanatorium .wrote in relation to the charge for electricity to the institution, asking that the Board again consider the granting of a reduction to the sanatorium. The matter has been held over pending the engineer ascertaining what the load is likely to be. The secretary said he presumed that if the Public Works Department gave concessions to the Board, the latter would be in a position to hand it on. A similar request came from the Manawatu and West Coast Dairy Companies’ Association, which stated that the dairy companies afliiliated. with this Association were of the unanimous opinion that the charges for electric power w r ere excessive, and had asked the Association to apply for a reduction. It hoped the Horowhenua Power Board could see its way to accede to this request. The latter application has been referred to the Dairy Factories Commit tee, which has the matter in hand. Treasurer’s Report. The Treasurer (Mr. Goldsmith) reported as follows: Review of accounts for payment. The total amount presented for confirmation is £ll6B 9s lOd. This amount includes in round figures £448 for' £307 for salaries, £204 for installatio s, £ll2 freight on poles, the balance b . ing made up of payments tor freijit and sundries. The pay-sheet tor .the clay totals £3046 2s 2d, the mam item being the provision for the .payment of two debentures on loans which fa < . ■ on the, 31st instant. The amount rs £2035 4s Bd. There arc quite a number of accounts this month, but only three of them run into three figures which embrace payments for ranges, meters, insulators and installations. Receipts for the month. —Since the

last meeting attention has been given to collect som'e of the. outstanding accounts for installations. There has been a fair response considering the season of the year. On the part' of most consumers there seems to be a desire to meet all reasonable demands, but with many money is not too plenty ful at the present time. The following statement shows the receipts since last meeting; also the total receipts from the first of April to the 14th August, 1926. It will* be noticed that the electricity returns are substantial, but it must bo remembered that most of the street lighting and the quarterly accounts from large consumers have been paid during the month. Receipts from Ist April to 14th August, 1926—Electricity and meter rent, £12,894 13s 4d; penalties, £4l 16s 10(1; interest on installation accounts, £276 16s 2d; ranges, water-hearers and motors, £1165 2s lid; installations and service , lines, £3494 15s sd; cottage rents and sundries, £122 4s 2d; total £17,995 8s lOd. So fpr the revenue appears to be well abreast of the, estimates for the portion of the year which is under review. We have entered into our fifth month of the financial year. During the month one consumer was cut off for failing to pay the electricity account. Loan expenditure.—From the figures hereinbefore recorded it will be seen that the receipts to date total in round figures £IB,OOO. The expenditure (including to-day’s payments) total nearly £25,000.» Of this sum between £B,OOO and £9,000 has been charged to Loan Accuont. It will thus be seen that the loan expenditure for the year is likely to exceed the estimates (£12,400) by a considerable sum. This position has no doubt been, largely brought about by the steady demands for extensions and services, entailing more transformers and general equipment than was anticipated prior to 31st March last. The policy hitjkjcrto adopted of waiting to ascertain actual requirements before raising the small amount of loan money which may ultimately be wanted, is a good one, and should be continued for awhile. Whenever necessary the Board ary accommodation. The report was adopted. Engineer’s Report. r fhe Engineer (Mr. J. A. Smith) re ported: — No. 1 wire gang have erected eight poles, ran seven service lines, 163 chains of l.t. wire, erected three street lamps in Shannon, moved back Levin main line at Ihakara owing to the highways authorities widening the cutting, cut all services on Potts Road and livened same, made alterations on. the l.t. at Seifert’s mill, completed l.t. at Kara Road and livened services, attend*d to maintenance and made alterations to earths on Tokomaru circuit, and owing to severe weather and floods had to patrol lines and examine a number of poles to locate probable damage. No. 2 gang have erected 66 poles, run 14 service lines and 368 chains of wire, erected lamps in Levin domain. They arc now engaged in Wallace Road and have nearly completed the pole erection. No. 3 gang assisted on occasions by pole men, have erected 43 poles, ran 20 services and 400 chains of l.t. wire, repaired suspension street lamp at Paekakariki and general maintenance. .Sub-station fitters have dismantled sub-station at. Potts Road, and erected sub. at Wallace Road, ran three ser- ' vice lines, cleaned and painted ffrans-

formers and street lamp fittings, strengthened earths and tested them on number three circuit and general maintenance. Installations.—o. B. Gilmour has completed Potts Road group, and all these installations are livened up. He is now wiring the consumers on Wallace Road. Full particulars were given of the test room and workshop ivork. The report was adopted.