HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

Shannon News, 3 May 1927, Page 2

HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

HOROWHENTJA POWER BOARD. APRIL MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Horovvhenua Power Board was held in the Municipal Chambers, Levin, on Tuesday, there being present: Messrs G. A. Monk (chairman), D. W. Matheson, W. H. Gunning, A. J. Petherick, A. Seifert, T. G. Vincent, W. E. Barber, C. Kilsby, P. W. Goldsmith (secretary) and J. A. Smith (engineer). Election of Messrs Bryant and Gunning. Notification was received of the election unopposed of Mr. Robert Biyant, of Foxton, to represent the Foxton Borough on the Board; and of the reelection unopposed of Mr. W. H. Gunning to represent the Shannon Borough. • Mr. Bryant was unable to be present, and was granted leave of absence. The chairman extended a welcome to Mr: Gunning, who was a foundation member of the Board, and said that if Shannon was as well satisfied with its representative as the Board was, then the was a very happy one. (Applause). Power Boards' Conference. The secretary of the Electric Power Boards' Association wrote advising the Board that the next conference of delegates would be held in July, and it was desired that remits be sent in not later than May 20th.—Left to . the chairman, secretary and engineer to arrange remits. Catchment Area. Messrs Milne and Wilson wrote with reference to a discussion by the Board of the need for a catchment area between the Otaki Gorge and Mangahao, and stated that they had for sale two blocks of country of the description required, namely: Section 19, block 8 Waiopehu Survey District, 2166 acres; and section 7 block 8 W.S.D., 705 acres 2 roods 16 perches. —Received. Loans Board. The Minister of Finance notified the Board of the coming into operation, on April Ist, of the Local Government Loans Board Act, 1926. Under the provisions of this measure, any local body intending to borrow money otherwise than in anticipation of its revenue, must submit an application to the local Board's Loans Board. , The secretary stated that the communication did not .appear to apply to this Board, as it already had authority to borrow up to £260,000. The letter was received. Audited Balance-sheets. . The balance-sheets of the Board for the two years ended March 31st, 1926, were received, with the necessary certificates, from the Audit Office. - The chairman said it was very satisfactory to note that the balance-sheets had been received from the Audit Office without any tag, especially when it was considered that the Board's officials were handling new work from the accountancy point of view. It was hoped to have the balance-sheet to March 31st, 1927, audited as soon as possible; he understood that the receipts side had already bpen attended to. '■ ■ ■ ' Treasurer's Report. The Treasurer (Mr. Goldsmith) reported ■as follows: "■'-'■'.''l .-have the honour to report on the accounts presented for consideration to-day us follows: — s-.payrnents Prior to 31st March, 1927. These accounts are presented for confirmation and amount to £962 2s 9d, although one item is really a transfer from the loan account to the revenue oi power fund account. This transfer relates to water-heaters, and ranges supplied to two of the Board's houses, which were in the first instance paid for from the power fund account, but being part of the capital outlay had to be refunded from loan. Other payments include: Wages, two fortnightly periods, £434 19s lOd; salaries (March) £266, 13s; audit fee (two years) £lO9 16s. Audit of Accounts and Balance-Sheets. In reference to the cost of audit, it may be noted that the period covers the main construction years of the Board's operations—the two years ended respectively on the 31st March, 1925, and on the 31st March, 1926. In addition the audit of receipts has, of course, been brought up to the date of audit (March)— a period of practically three years. ■ The cost of audit has been equally divided between_ the loan and maintenance accounts respectively. The balance-sheets are now to hand, having been returned from the audit office certified to as correct. They are essentially the same as presented to the Board, when prepared for audit. Main Accounts. Owing to the late date of the Board's meeting this month, a few accounts have been paid, to discount; some wages and railway freights have also been paid, as have bank drafts in respect to bolts, galvanised strip and porcelain tubes which have arrived frqja England. The list includes more accounts than would have been the case if the Board had met earlier; but that should mean less accounts for the May meeting. The total of these accounts to be passed amounts to £6212 10s 3d, the main items of expenditure being as follows:—Electricity for quarter . ended March 31st, 1927, £3945; copper cable, meters and fuses, £770; wages, £227; Board members' travelling, etc., £193; bolts, strip and tubes, £119; benzine and oil, £100; foreman's house and garage, £112; tallow-wood, jarrah and Oregon, £BS; transformer oil and shack- , les, £74; poles, £26; water-heaters, £2o. I The balance is made up of various payments for freight, spares for motor vehicles, printing, installations and various sundry goods and charges. Or the total of these accounts £4837 is chargeable to power fund account and , £1374 to loan account. The chairman said he noticed that the quarterly payments for electricity j were close on £4OOO. He did not think that this amount was likely to be very much exceeded in the near future. j The Teport was adopted. j . Engineer's Report. The Engineer reported as follows for

the period covered since the previous meeting:— Number one gang have run 24 feervices, erected 63 poles, and run 704 ehains of wire; have erected one substation and doubled up l.t. from Wai- : kanae Beach Road south; have run extra phases Manakau, and Rangiuru Beach, erected poles and run wire to Corbett's, Manakau South. Road; cut trees on southern circuit and LevinFoxton; attended to inaintenance on account of storm on. 20th and 21st March.

Number two gang have run two services, erected 8 poles, and run 173 chains of wire, built one sub-station and placed same in commission; erected one 11,000-volt line, switch; have run lines to Manawatu Bluestone and Hutt County crushers, at PaekakariM,; temporary service Bible Glass camp at Paraparaumu, and general Paekakariki to Paraparaumu and general maintenance.

Number three -gang have run four services, erected six poles, and run 120 chains of wire, have erected two lamps at the Manawatu River punt; ereeted one 11,000 volt line switch; cut trees on the Toxton circuit and examined poles; attended to general maintenance and Shannon sub-station.

Electrical litters have run 18 services, erected eight poles, and run 68 chains of wire; erected six street lamps in Levin, altered the position of one lamp in Levin and one in Foxton; have changed transformers, Lady's Mile, Poroutawhao, Kimberley Road, Dalzell's mill, Kukuj and erected one transformer at Paekakariki; re-conditioned four and dried out seven transformers, strengthened Otaki sub platform and attended to general maintenance. General: —During the. period the Makerua Drainage Board pump has been put into commission, and also .one 45 h.p. motor at the Manawatu Bluestone quarry, at Paekakariki. The Tailway station and engine sheds at Paekakariki, installations of 127 lights—--8.417 k.w. —have been connected up; also the Otaki hospital, 68 lights and five heating points. The Matai Road extension has been completed and consumers are being connected up, as their installations are completed. The construction of the line to Axawata and Muaupoko Roads, Paraparaumu, has, been started. A severe gale, together ; with heavy thunderstorms, was experienced on the 19th, 20th. and 21st . March, but no serious damage was done to the lines, although a large amount of trouble was caused right through the district, chiefly by trees and bark, and through the lightning blowing fuses. Sixty complaints were attended to. Analysis of Connected Load. The following figures show the totals of connected load in the Board's district to April 20th:— k.w. Lighting 797 No. Total h.p. Industrial motors .... 205 2383 Milking motors 333 502 Heating and iron points 2504 1734 Ranges 251 1560 Water-heaters 464 297 Connected Applns. Consumers 2602 2634 Total connected k.w 6432 The chairman remarked that there was still a growth in the load, and the Board had to expect that. Their maintenance, he thought, was being kept up well, with a periodical survey and attention to lines and transformers. TheSepprt was adopted. Preparations for Annual Meeting. The secretary stated that the next meeting would be the annual meeting of the Board, when the chairman would be elected and the estimates for the year considered. In the meantime each - member would receive a copy of the balance-sheet to study.