POWER SUPPLY.

Shannon News, 24 July 1928, Page 2

POWER SUPPLY.

MEETING OP HOROWHENUA BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board was held in the Municipal Chambers, Levin, yesterday, there being present: Messrs G. A. Monk, W. E. Barber, T. G. Vincent, E. S. Morse. C. Blenkhorn, A. J. Pethericlt, A. Seifert, P. W. Goldsmith (secretary -and treasurer) and J. A. Smith (engineef). Leave of absence was granted to Mr It. Bryant. DEPRECIATION FUND.

A communication was received from the Public Trust Office, stating that the Public Trustee had accepted the office of commissioner of the-Board’s depreciation fund; The only conditions made by the Commissioner were that he reserve to himself the right to limit withdrawals from the fund to £SOOO in any one month, and that-three months’ notice must be given of the Board's intention to make any withdrawal. INSURANCE AND MEDICAL FEES. • The State Accident Insurance Department wrote in reply to an inquiry made by the secretary, wlio-hadi dqsired information as to whether a .doctor’s or chemist's fee would be paid by the Department in "-the ease of an injured' man who was able to receive treatment without loss of employment. The secretary explained to the Board that, previously tb this correspondence, :if’; an employee did not lose any working.; time after an injury, the Department’; did nbt pay for his medical treatment.-. An interview with a representative of 'the Department had taken place, and the, matter had received the consideration of the head office. The reply now received was that, if the responsible officers considered ’ that ~an injured workman would be benefitted by being treated promptly by a doctor or a chemist, the Department would- pay the fee to the amount of £1 which- was allowed as medical expenses under the Act when compensation is paid,' during the currency of the present policy,, extending date the matter would be again considered. ' ' - ' : ; TREASURER’S REPORT; :

The following ' report was presented by the Treasurer:—- r SINCE LAST MEETINp .Accounts submitted for' confirmation at the nieefixig to-day total £675-9s lid, The payments include £268-for wages, £297 for salaKeS, £4l : ’for air ea'r’thtestihg . irtstruiheht, 1 t- spares £2ji, 'railway freights £l6, the - balance being accouitted' fbr bjy paymehts-fbr insurance, garage rehtaly'-Engirieef’s travelling, and,sundries. ’ - ACCOUNTS TO BE- PASSED.

The accounts presented'for payment to-day total £3897 5s Bd. ' The* principal item is from the Public Works Departnient for electricity for -tie f quarter ended June 30th, the amount, being £2963 14s. This account" is much less .‘than the preceding, quarter" ■ because most of the large users of power have, eased 'ujj‘ very considerably’:dufifig the quarter. Consequently ; Vvhijat the ..bill from Mangahao is not so large, the returns from the 'quarterly accounts will also, be proportionately less,’ In reference to. the £IO,OOO loan from the, public Trustee, the .first year’s 1 ; sink-' ing fund is. due on the, first of August, the amount; being £2OO, which is 2 per cent of the amount the loan. Interest, will also fall due .on the Ist August in respect to.t.hia-loan, the amount being £267 17s; Bd^.Both these .amounts for sinking, fund and interest are amongst., those aiow; submitted. : Other accounts on-the.list for the day .include Audit Department. eharges for. two' years’ audit of the Board’s' accounts, £lOl ,14s, insulators £6l, benzine and oil JES2,- meters £46, office' rent and cleaning £46, installations £26> ear and truck' spares £33. .... . . CASH RECEIPTS FOR.JUNE.

The total receipts for the month amounted to £2873 ,75.. .Of this sum £2200 was paid for electricity; For installations and service .. lines £565 was received,: which for. the quiet time of the year is a very respectable amount.

RECEIPTS FOR MONTH AND QUARTER. The following table shows the cash takings for the three months of the current financial year (April, May and

The, foregoing figures relate, of course, to the cash takings, and must not be confused with the revenue earned. ,

At the next meeting of the Board, when two bi-monthly readings will have been taken in both the nqrthern and southern districts,, a comparative statement of the Board’s position a§ compared with the previous year will be prepared and submitted for informations and consideration.

Electricity accounts have come in fairly well, and, although a few cut-off notices were necessary, the response has been such that only one consume! wag actually cut off in the. period. The report was adopted. ENGINEERS’ CONFERENCE. In the Engineer’B report,.the following reference was made to the Engineers’ Conference:— the Electrical Supply Authority Engineers’ Conference at Wellington on the 19tfi to 21st June, There was a large attendance of engineers ; all parts of the Dominion, and officers of i the Publie Works, Post, and Telegraph* and Railway Departments were also, present. A number of important proposed amendments to ’the Electrical Supply aud Wiring Regulations were discussed, and the recommendations will be subf mitted to the Public Works Depart I ment for consideration. Papers on community, recreation ground; and I I , '4 11,I 1 , , 1 ,rX s ,

bonding green lighting; water, heating; f the application and cost of electricity to . various industries; concrete poles; .rates, ‘etc., were read and fully discussed, The information and data sup- * plied will be of considerable value to the various engineers. Demonstrations . Were given showing the working of new apparatus for electrie line control and protection. A visit was paid to the Wellington Hospital to. bee the electric eooking apparatus recently in* stalled, Consisting of a baker’s oven,,3? heavy-duty range, fish cooker, and a griller and toaster. The automatic telephone exchange was also visited, the working of which was. fully explained. ' The Chairman, stated that he had had the pleasure of. attending the Engineers’ Conference for a few hours, also £ the annual dinner. During t the short while he was able to be at the Conference, he was particularly struck by the manner in which the delegates tackled their work. He was present during a demonstration in , which the engineers allowed members of the traders’ associations to come before the \ Conference and read papers, and give exhibitions of apparatus. On the question of heating, a valuable paper, which was afterwards published, was given by Mr Templin, who stressed the necessity of not only being able to heat a thing, but being able to make it Iretain that heat. This point was specially brought out in reference to, wat-er-heating and cooking; it apparently 'represented the difference between success or otherwise in : the use of eleetrieity for heating. The Chairman added that he appreciated very muc-h the opportunity he had had to be pre-' sent at the Conference, and he wished to convey to the Board his recognition of the good work that v the engineers were doing by holding such gatherings. The Engineer stated that some tests had been carried out in regard to heat • insulation. He had had a water-heat-er properly insulated, and at 600 watts , it bb'imd'Jii gallons in 11$ hours, starting with chid water. Another heater, <r\ which was a plain copper cylinder - withotu lagging, was supplied with current for more than two days. but would hot boil the water; it was found that the. water reached a certain -temperaat which it remained; The liotwater pipes' in the houses should bo lagged by the' plumbers. The water had to warm the pipe before being drawn from the tap; and the hot water that was left in the pipe afterwards copied down again. An important poitat was to have the cylinder close to the place where the water was uaed.

June):-—. ' June| 1928 ■ April-June Electricity ....... £2201 £9920 Penalties ........ .31 '■ •• •' 85 Installations, fittings service lines .... 005 1532 Interest on Installa- . tions , ...... 24 93. Consumers’ deposits 13 37 Rent and sundries 37 ; ,79 Totals . £2873 ' . £11748 (Shillings and pence omitted.)