NORTH SHORE POWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 25, 21 April 1927, Page 14

NORTH SHORE POWER

WAITEMATA ELECTION CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS One thousand miles of wire strung, 600 r*oles erected, and the entire scheme completed in about half the time allowed for in the estimates, was one of the achievements claimed for the Waitemata Electric Power Board b’ its chairman, Mr. J. W. Hayden, at a public meeting held at Birkenhead last evening in support of the candidatures of Messrs. J. W. Hayden, M E. Thompson, and E. C. Walton, representatives of the Takapuna, and Birkenhead boroughs. Mr. Shepherd, president of the Birkdale Ratepayers’ Association, presided.

Dealing with the loan proposals, Mr. Hayden said that on March 31 last £158,000 had been expended out of loan, of which £127,000 had been spent on lines and reticulation, £19,000 on buildings, including workmen’s cottages and depots, £IO,OOO on advances to consumers and £2,000 on furniture and fittings. There were 4,100 consumers, 152 cooking stoves installed, 21-1 water-heaters, and 62 electric motors, while sales of electricity. excluding Devonport, were at the rate of 1,750,000 units a -- - All that, stated Mr. Hayden, had been acomplished within four months of receiving the Goverrmert supply of power, and the work had been passed by the Public Works Department in 24 hours. DEVONPORT PLANT

In regard to the purchase of the Devonport steam plant and the changeover to hydro-electric power, Mr. Hayden said .e total cost, when the system was completely changed over, would not exceed £66,000. The steam plant would be closed down next July and from that time onward Devonport would cost £IO,OOO a year to supply As the annual revenue from Devonport consumers was at present £16,000, and was not likely to differ in spite of the alterations in the scale of charges, th a board would receive a net profit of over £ 5.000 a year.

Against that profit, however, the losses involved in the closing down of the steam plant had to be borne in mind. Something would also have fo be set aside for depreciation, but nevertheless it would probably be possible to give a reduction in charges the following year.

Messrs. Thompson and Walton also addressed the meeting. A motion expressing renewed confidence in the board, and pledging those present to do their utmost to secure the return of the three members v who had spoken, was carried unanimously.