ELECTRICITY FOR CROWN TENANTS.

Shannon News, 23 August 1929, Page 1

ELECTRICITY FOR CROWN TENANTS.

CD. FARM SETTLEMENT TO BE SERVED. The Morowhenua Power Board, at its meeting on Tuesday, gave its consent to a proposal for supplying electricity to the nine farms into which the Central Development Farm has been divided. The matter came up in a report from the Board's Engineer (Mr J. A. Smith) as follows: "During the period that this was used as a Development Farm, the supply of eleetiicity was from a transformer in Beach Road, through a low tension line, which is the property of the Government, to the miJlciiig shed and various buildings. "Owing to the Parm having been cut up into nine separate farm and an Education Reserve, some of which farms are situated beyond the range cf the present L.T. lines, it \viH be necessary to extend the electric light tension line for about 65 chains down .he main road through the property, and erect about 5)8 chains of L.T. line incl -30 chains of L.T. under E.11.T. "The estimated cost of this work i.£731. The present L.T. line could be taken back at a valuation based on the value of the poles, wire, lets depreciation and cost of removal. ".Some of the settlers are being sup ..died from the present L.T. and the others are anxious to get connected a.oo:i as they have their sheds and aouses built."

The Chairman (Mr G. A. Monk; aid that the difficulty encountered by almost every Board, where there had jeeu Government leases, was that the Government did not take any rcsponsi jility as far as the installations were ,-oncerrfed. In this particular case the Board was bound to undertake this capital expenditure of over £7OO, even supposing that all the intending consumers, including those whore places were not wired up, made their own arrangements about installations. The property comprised good country, and it would lie necessary to take the current there.

Mr T. G. Vincent asked the Engineer if the 18 per cent, guarantee on the cost of the lines was assured from the tenants.

Mr Smith replied in the affirmative. A resolution was passed giving ths Engineer authority to carry out tlu 1 proposed work.