HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Shannon News, 15 July 1927, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD. JULY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Horowlienua Electric Power Board was held on Tuesday, a week earlier than usual owing to the forthcoming Conference of Power Boards, to be held in Wellington There were present Messrs G. A. Monk (chairman), W. E. Barber, R. Bryant, E. S. Morse, C.. Blenkhorn, A. J. Petheriek, A. Seifert, W. H. Gunning, P. W. Goldsmith (secretary), and .J. A. Smith (engineer). Leave of absence was granted to Mr. T. G. Vincent. Quotations were received from the Phoenix Nut and Bolt Co., Ltd., England, for galvanised strip, b.olts, etc. Schedules of charges for electricity were received from the South Canterburv and Hawke's Bay Power Boards.

With reference to the charges of the Hawke's Bay Board, which has recently been set" up, with headquarters at Napier, the secretary stated that the schedule was a very complicated one, with concessions based on the number of rooms in a house, and differential' rates for the summer and winter portions of the year. The chairman remarked that no two districts would be found to have exactly similar charges. One Board might have its peak load coming on at a different time from another B,oard. Then, again, in one district the load might be essentially a town load, and in another district a country load. The information received, however, would be helpful to the staff. Treasurer’s Report. The Treasurer (Mr. Goldsmith) presented the following report: — ACCOUNTS. I have to report that the quarterly account from Mangahao, for the perioc

ended June 30th, 1927, is £3581 (>3 10d, as against £31.11 8s for June, 1926, and £1325 for June, 1925. As compared with the previous quarter, the account is not so large by £363 13s 2d, but against this saving it is noticeable that our large quarterly consumers have much smaller accounts than those of last quarter. The total amount of the accounts to confirm and pass (including the electricity account for £3581 6s lOd) is £4787 6s 6d. The principal items other than electricity, are wages, salaries, benziue, oil, insulators, rent, timber, ranges, and telephone rentals. REVENUE. The receipts for the month .from all sources amounted to £2738 17s 7d, of which sum £2280 16s 2d represents returns for electricity and meter-rents. The following table"shows the receipts for the first quarter of the financial year:— To 30th Mav. For June £ £

£9444 £2738 It will be noticed that to June 30th, the receipts for electricity including meter rents were £9BBB 15s. The amount received for the same period 1 last year was £8095 18s, which gives a satisfactory increase. The gross receipts to (late, as shown in the table, are £12,183 15s lOd. INSTALLATION ACCOUNTS. During the month considerable attention has been given to the matter of some of these accounts, which have not

come quite up to the mark. The limes appear to be difficult and hard for a good jjiany people, but the majority are doing their best to meet their obligations. Only in a few instances is it necessary to take extreme action. With the advance of the spring season, finances generally throughout the district should very considerably improve.

•The chairman stated that the Board’s engineer had been able during the last quarter to reduce somewhat the Board's payment for electricity, as compared with the previous quarter. This was brought about to some extent by the cessation of work at some of the flaxmills. It was not expected that the Board would be able to keep the account down, however. There was a satisfactory increase in the total receipts for electricity, and it went to show that their estimates, as framed, were not going to let the Board down. The installation accounts were causing the staff some little concern. It was a case of hard times, and people -were having a good many difficulties to meet; but the Board did not want to be the last people to be paid," though, generally speaking, local bodies were' the last to be paid. In this case he "would like customers to make every effort to meet their installation accounts and thus assist the finances of the Board. The report was received. "" Engineer’s Report. The engineer reported as follows on operations since the last meeting of the * Board:—

Number one gang have run eight service lines, erected six poles, and ran 334 chains of wire; have made alterations t,o‘ four service lines at Paekakariki to clear new route for telephone lines; have restrained l.t. south of Paraparaumu, overhauled services and cut trees; also unloaded poles at Paraparaumu.

Number two gang have run three service lines and erected five poles; built one special outdoor sub-station at Whitaunui mill; installed transformer and ran necessary e.h.t. to pick up same; have been engaged in general overhaul at Te Horo; have unloaded poles at Levin and are at present installing extra transformers at Foxton main sub. and making the necessary alterations to the l.t. to supply King's flaxmill.

Number three gang have run two service lines; have been engaged in gen eral maintenance to lines and consuuv ers’ installations, etc., and main Shan non. sub-station.

Electrical fitters have run five service lines and erected two poles; have changed three transformers, re-eondi-tioned four transformers, and dried out transformer and oil;.have made alterations to services to clear P. and T. lines, Muhunoa West Road; attended to complaints and general maintenance.

General.—The line and sub-station to serve the Whitaunui flaxmill was completed, and livene'd up on July Ist, This installation comprises motors aggregating 194 h.p. The peak load during the quarter ended June 30th was 1740.67 k.v.a., between 11 and 11.30 a.m. on April 20th. Analysis of Connected Load.

The following figures show the connected load in the Board's district to July 6th:—' k.w.

The chairman stated that the Board was still getting applications from new consumers, also applications for extension of existing installations, which, generally speaking, paid the B.oard best. A considerable amount of load was added during the past month for the Whitaunui mill, owing to the installation of new motors. Another flaxmill installation was going in this week. It was reported by the chairman that a sub-committee appointed for the purpose had purchased a meter reader’s ear, which cost £lßl, with, extras, to replace one for which £55 was allowed —quite a satisfactory arrangement. The report was .received..; . .

Installation, fittings and service lines 1595 368 Interest on above 105 29 Consumers’ deposits 25 4 Electricity and meterrents 7607 2280 Penalties 25 17 Miscellaneous and house rents 86 3 i

Lighting 925 No. Tl. h.p. Industrial motors . 223 . 2597 Milking motors . 352 513 Heating and iron points 24341737 Ranges ;... . 268 1687 Water-heaters , 484 30ft: Connected Applns. Consumers 2651 2675 Total connected k.w. .. , , . 6974