HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Shannon News, 20 January 1928, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board was held in the Municipal Chambers, Levin, on Tuesday, there being present: Messrs G. A. Monk (chairman), W. E. Barber, T, G, Vincent, B. Bryant, E. S. Morse, 0, Blenkhorn, A. J. Petherick, A. Seitert, and W. H. Gunning, Mr P. W. Goldsmith (secretary and treasurer) and Mr J. A. Smith (engineer). Advice was received from the Department of Health that the Public Works Department had now decided to pay the account of £l4 Os lid, balance due for work done at the Otaki Sanatorium.

The Secretary explained that the Works Department, a year or so ago, had cut doWn the Board’s account for work done at the Otaki Sanatorium, in the outside installation. This action was thotfght to be unjustified and repeated representations were made to the Departments concerned, with the result that the Board’s charge was now upheld. Notice was received that the Power Board Secretaries Conference would be held in Wellington, commencing on Wednesday, February 22nd. vleniit;were required to be in the hands of the Secretary not later than January 25th.—On the motion of the Chairman, leave was granted to the Secretary to attend the Conference. TBEASUBEK’S KEPOBT.

The following report was presented by the Treasurer and was received:

Beceipts,

The total receipts for, the month were £2851 7s Bd, which brings the amount received from all sources for the past nine months of the year to the sum of £37;341 7s 7d. It will be noticed in the receipts for the month the amount received for electricity and meter rents is £2105 5s lid. The payment of, meter rents having practically ceased, this amount may be looked upon as the receipts from the Sale of electricity alone during the month. Of course very fey of the quarterly accounts are included therein; they will be paid in the mdntb of January. The table which follows gives particulars of how the totals are arrived at (shillings and pence omitted):

Accounts

Accounts for confirmation to-day amount to £764 9s lOd. The sum is in the main made up of amounts paid for wages and salaries for the month. The accounts in the pay-roll for the day, other than the clectr city bill already part ticularised. amount to £274 Os 2d. The largest accounts are for benzine, copper cable being £6l and £53, and an outdoor oil circuit breaker £33 17s 6d.

Loan of £IO,OOO. the last'meeting of the Board a further instalment of £IOOO has been paid. There has now been lifted to /date the sum of £6OOO, and consequently there is a further £4OOO to come in sums of £IOOO at about monthly intervals. ENGINEEE’S BEPOET. The Engineer submitted the following , report, which was received: No. 1 Gang have run four service lines, erected 32 poles, fitted 40 poles and run 254 ehaius of wire, have restrained L.T; and services and overhauled same on Foxton Beach; have snigged in poles, Okuku Boad, and have commenced the erection of this line. ■ No. 2 Gang have run two service lines and 315 chains of wire; have built one out-door sub-station, Bangiuru Boad, made the necessary alterations to L.T. and' street lighting mains, and erected one lamp; have run extra L.T. south of Paraparaumu, extended street light c'-rcuit and erected one street lamp, Paekakariki. No. 3 Gang have run one service line and four temporary services, attended to general maintenance, etc., northern area, and main substation, and assistted No. 1 Gang on Okuku Boad. Electrical fitters have run eight new service lines, made extensions on one existing installation, fitted cross-arms Arawhata Boad; moved street lamp, Otaki, and strengthened earths on the southern circuits; have assisted No. 1 Gang; attended to street lamp renewals, consumers and general maintenance, and relieved attendant at main sub-Stgtion during annual leave. Installations. —During the period 7 applications from new consumers and 14 applications for additions to existing installations have been received, comprising 4 ranges, 1 water-heater, and 1 milking motor. Fifteen new consumers and 21 extensions have been connected, including 5 ranges, 8 waterheaters, 2 milking motors and 3 industrial motors. Six polyphase and , 6 single-phase meters have been tested. General. —On account of the shortage of water at Mangahao, arrangements have been made with the various flaxmillers to run at night instead of in the daytime, until the weather changes, in order to conserve the water.

The construction of the Okuku Boad line is well under way, and I expect that power will be available before the end of the month.

The peak during the quarter ended 31st December, was 2332.49 k.v.a., against 1815 k.v.a. for the same quarter during the previous year; 356,952 more units were purchased this quarter than during the same quarter last year, an increase equal to 22.16 per cent.

At the close of the ordinary business the Board went into committee, and at the conclusion of the meeting, it was reported that it had been decided to terminate the arrangement with Mr H. A. Smith, of Paraparaumu, as from the last day of February.

December April-Dee. £ Electricity, meter rents 2105 29,589 Installations, fittings, etc 605 6,494 Interest on installations 69 580 Penalties .. 19 182 Consumers ’ deposits ... 6 79 Kents and miscellaneous 46 314 £2,851 £37,341