DRAINING OF MAKERUA PLAINS

Shannon News, 18 October 1929, Page 1

DRAINING OF MAKERUA PLAINS

USE OF ELECTRIC PLANT.

CHEAPER METHOD OP POWER SUPPLY SOUGHT. The draining of wet lands in the Tokomaru district by the aid of an electric pump, installed two and a-half years ago, is viewed by the Malcerua Drainage Board as rather an expensive business, and as a result that body has been in correspondence with the Morewlienua Power Board in an endeavour to come to some cheaper arrangement than the present one for the supply of the necessary current. At the Power Board’s meeting yesterday, the question was discussed up to a certain point, and was then referred to the Finance Committee for further investigation. The suggestion was made ,at the meeting that the difficulty might be solved by the use of a larger pump, so as to dear the water at times when the current was off the peak load aud thus available at a lower charge. In May last the chairman of the Drainage Board (Mr J.-H. Hume) in--1 endowed Mr A. Seifert, a member of the Power Board, concerning the' lat'ter body’s charge for current for the motor-pump, urging that the payments 'were abnormally high, considering the number of unit's used. Mr Seifert pointed out that '.he use of the pump at any hour during the twenty-four would mean the raising of the Power Board’s peak load, and for that reason the increase had to be passed on to the user, but if the pump were worked only at night he thought that the Board would put on a time-switch, and from their onwards, the' 'Drainage Board would 1 find the charge very reasonable,_ if they did not use the motor the' day-time.

Writing on July 22iul to the chairman of the Drainuge Board, the Power Board Engineer (Mr J. A. Smith) .stated that if the pump would shift sufficient water by being free to work at all hours, except between 7 a,m. aud midday, as long as the Board’s peak load was h}j the morning, the riate would be lid pei; unit. At that stage lie could not state the price of a timeswitch, in the absence of information as to the type required.

In a letter received at the meeting of the Power Board yesterday, the secretary of the Drainage Board (Mr F. W. Connell) stated that 'his Board regretted they were unable to accept the suggestion of part-time power for the pump. The delay in replying had been occasioned by the necessity of observation of the pump working during rainy weather. In view of the considerably lower unit rate charged to. flaxmills and industries in this district, the Power Board were again asked to re consider the unit rate charged to this pumping plant. The minimum was quite satisfactory.

To this communication the Engineer had replied, noting the suggestion that the pump could not cope with the flow of water in rainy weather if kept off the peak load period between 7 a.m. and midday and so take advantage of the lower rate which the Board were able to offer. With regard to the reference to the flaxmill rate being lower, the Engineer pointed out that the mills ran on a steady load for 44 to 48 hours a week and their minimum was <lO per cent, of their load, so if the Drainage Board’s pump was charged on the same basis the quarterly minimum in respect of it would be about £33; therefore the rate forming the basis for the pumping was more advantageous to the Drainage Board than if they were charged at the flaxmill rate.

Mr Seifert staled that the Makeru.-; Drainage Board, had approached lnu. about this mater, and he had fancier; that the members of that body did not quite realise the difficulty that the bower Board was in, so he had ad dressed a letter to the secretary, point ing out that this B'oard paid .approximately £2 per k.v.a. per quarter for power leceivod from the Government If the drainage pump, with a capacity of 15 lip., came on for a short period daily, it would increase the Government charge by £3O; yet in return the drainage people would only pay a few shillings to the Power Board. It was impossible for this Board to make a low rate during the daytime, except to consumers whose load was continuous. He told the Drainage Board that the matter had been very carefully gone intc before, by the Power Board and the Engineer. The only thing he coubl see for the Drainage Board to do was to put in a bigger pump. Mr Smith had given them the option of using the current for 19 hours a day at lid per unit, so they would be on a good wicket. The speaker realised that for a motor to come on for a few hours and put up the Board’s peak was a serious matter, unless a heavy compensation was there.

The Chairman (Mi G. A. Monk) mentioned that the minimum charge to the Makeraa pump was £6 a quarter, which was obviously better to the Drainage Board than if it were on the flaxmill rate. . The Finance Committee might go into this matter, and further consideration 1 be’ given to it by the Board. Answering a question by Mr T. G. Vincent, the chariman stated that the pump had teen in operation since March, 1927. Mr W. E. Barber remarked that the

district affected was a very low-lying

one, and as time went on more of these pumps would be lequircd. Mr .Seifert: They come on for a day cr two, and then stop. It puts up the peak load. Probably the Board has lost money on it. The Chairman: The Committee could probably analyse the whole thing from the start. We earnot offer more than that. It was resolved that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee. Mr Barber said that the Buckley Drain,ige Board had asked him about the same subject. Mr Seifert: I think that, as time goes on, a lot of power will be used. If we could get them to instal pumps big_ enough to keep off our peak load, they Avouid have cheap p'ower. The Chairman: We could only da that by advice to anyone installing a pump,. -- Mr Seifert added that, in the locality under revieAV, it was not altogether rainwater that had to be coped with, but water that came down very suddenly from the mountains.