HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Shannon News, 22 February 1927, Page 3

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD. FEBRUARY ,MEETING;' ‘ The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board was held in the Municipal Chambers, Lovjn,|-qn-Tuesday, there being present: MessrsG. A. Monk (chairman), C. Kilsby, A Ross, W. E. Barber, T. G. Vincent, A. Seifert, A* J. Petherick and W. H. Gunning. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. D. W. Matheson. The Government Statistician wrote stating that orders for the Municipal Handbook for 927 were now being taken.—Received. Combined Advertising Scheme. A statement wa® received from Mr. C. G. Camjp, secretary of the special committee set up by the Power Boards to deal with advertising. The committee consist* of Messrs F. T. M. Kisseil (chairman) and J. J. Gibson, of the Public Works Department, S. J. Hanbutt (Auckland Power Board) W. A. Waters (Manawatu Power Board), J. M. Fleming and J. Lenchars, of the N.Z. Electrical Federation, and -O. G. Camp (secretary). At the inaugural meeting in October resolutions were passed favouring the organising and developing of a national electricity campaign; the developing of a society upon the lines of the Electrical Development Society of Great Britain, the adoption of the Red Seal standard of equipment; the providing of a sum of £20,000 covering three years, the collecting of such sum to be allocated in the proportions of J two-fifths by the Government, twofifths by the supply authorities, and one-1 fifth by the electrical trade; and that the supply authorities’ proportion of the levy be allocated on a revenue basis. It was estimated that the amounts payable by supply authorities would range from £5. to £175 per annum, and on the present revenue basis the levy would be covered by approximately half per cent, of the boards’ annual revenue. The* scheme had not yet been finalised by the committee, as it would be necessary to submit the definite scheme to the various boards immediately the decision of the Government was received.

The secretary (Mr. P. W. Goldsmith) explained that the committee proposed to set up a standard for electrical installation. It was contended that in the utilisation of electricity New Zealand was very much behind the times as compared with some other countries. A great many more points were installed in houses and hotels in America.

The chairman said the only principle involved at present was that of advertising. The question of who was going to pay for it would ..come in later. The matter had been discussed at the last conference of the Power Boards Association. As far as this district was concerned there was a shortage of power, and it was felt that it was hardly necessary to push the matter just now. The load was coming on as fast as they could cope with it in their immediate district. The householders did not want more current than was useful to them; but if they wanted an electrified house there was no reason why they should not have it. The letter was received. Treasurer’s Report. The treasurer reported that the accounts paid since the last meeting and those submitted for confirmation amounted to £823 0s 4d. The principal items in <this'total were: Wages £448 5s lid, salaries £242 8s 4d, bank draft account galvanised iron strip per s.s. Northumberland £l2B 5s lid- Accounts to be passed for payment totalled nearly £2700, but two instalments on loans falling due on February 28th accounted for £2035 4s Bd. The audit of the Board's accounts was now proceeding, Mr. Ward, Government Audit Inspector for the district, and his assistant being engaged on the work. Progress of receipts:—From the beginning of the financial year to date receipts from all sources have amounted to over £42,000. Electricity and meterrents have reached £30,000. The takings for the month in round figures have been £5400. Many of the quarterly accounts are included in the month’s takings, hence the receipts for electricity and meter-rents come to the respectable sum of £4450. The following table was presented, showing the classified receipts from the beginning of the financial year till last meeting and for the past month: —

Jt will thus be seen, concluded the treasurer, that the accounts due to fho Board are coming in fairly well, al though amongst its many customers there are a few whose accourtu are no* quite satisfactory. No one has been I cut off this month f :r non payment of the electricity account. I The chairman commented on the-sat* ' isfactory position in regard to money , taken for electricity and meter rents. : Mr. Boss said it was gratifying that the revenue was so buoyant. He asked i if the expenditure was keeping pace with the estimates. The secretary replied that the expenditure compared favourably wit' the estimates. The loans wete underestimated, but the power fund w r as over-estimated and on the whole it was very low. Mr. Gunning asked how the arrears were being reduced, and the chairman replied that they were being reduced considerably. This had not been a big year for installations. In answer to a question by Mr. Seifert, the secretary stated .that up to

the end of January, 192fi,-tliA diiiounf; received for electricity and'flietbr’rents was £18,500, and the amount taken m January, 1926, was £3652‘35’ ; 8d.“ “ The report w-as adopted, i 1 . Progress of Consumption.. A comparison of the connected load, asked for by Mr. Seifert, showed that it was 6190 k.w. last month and 4080 k.w. in the corresponding period ot last year. ’ . The engineer also presented-the following comparative figures, showmgithe progress of the Board’s business :smee ; November 12th, 1924, shortly after, R .started operations: — 0m..» ;

Analysis of Connected Load. The following figures show the totak: of connected load in the Board's district to February 9th: — k.w.

To last Since Meeting £ s d £ s d Electricity and meter rents .... 25,601 14 4 4454 6 4 Penalties .. 91 10 4 1 13 7 Interest .. 530 0 3 84 19 6 Ranges motors, and water-heaters 2853 19 Installations and ser2 254 1 5 . vice lines 7560 16 5 458 12 11 Cottage rents and sundries 242 3 7 58 2 3 £36,880 l 1 £5411 16

*3 • pH U • fee n ►i o s « OQ 0 O T3 o 5 oi — d d 02 d o Nov., w S 1D24 — M >—1 <=u O 712 0.2 „ 846 k:W. Jan., 1925 .. 48 44 1059 1348 kivk, (363 h.p.) 2850 k.m July, 1925 . 87 108 1695 (987 h.p.) 4461 k.w. Dec., 1925 . 139 220 2077 (1776 h.p.) 5187 k.w.’ June, 1926 156 245 2298 (2043 h.p.) 6050 k.w. Dec., 1926 185 322 2498 (2309 h.p.)

881 iJlgUUXIg •• • No. Total h.p. Industrial motors .... 191 2310 Milking motors 329 495 Heating and iron points 2363 Ranges 239 1688 1494 Water-heaters 449 288 Connected. Applns. Consumers 2542 2580 Total connected .... 6190