TARIKI POWER SCHEME

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1926, Page 4

TARIKI POWER SCHEME

PROGRESS OF THE WORK HEAVY FLOODS DELAY COMPLETION MEETING OF THE BOARD. (From Our Own Reporter.) Eltham, Nov. 15. The usual monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held yesterday in Eltham. Present: Messrs If. G. Carman (chair), C. Foreman, J. T Belcher, T. A. Anderson, J. Dobson, C. E. McGuinness, R. J. Knuckey, W. H. Were, W. J. Tristram (secretary), W. H. Climie (engineer) uud B. xl. Goldsmith (resident engineer). The engineers( Messrs H. W. Climlo and Son) reported on the progress ot the construction work as follows: Mako Stream—The deepening of the stream to permit the water in the dam to be drawn down about nine feet, had been pushed ahead with a large gang of men, working in three shifts on four winches, whenever the weather permitted. Until this week, most of the work had to be kept unwatered by pumping. Often however, no sooner had this been done than another flood occurred, and the work of cleaning up the debris and pumping out the .water had to be repeated. Notwithstanding these disheartening circumstances, most of the work will be completed by next week, wlieii it must be suspended to prevent an entire stoppage of work in the main tunnel. Main Tunnel.—Already work in thistinnel has been considerably delayed to permit the work of deepening the Mako Stream to be carried on. However, next week it is proposed to shut the drainage water oft' the tunnel and commence con ceting the final section from both ends. About six chains remain to be concreted, and No. 1 adit closed. The last fourteen chains can be lined with the cementgun in less than a week. During the month No. 2 adit was closed with a massive concrete bulkhead, and the concrete carried' on to No. 1 adit. After completing the lining of the tunnel and closing the last adit, the rails will be lifted and the construction plant withdrawn from the tunnel. The main valve at the top of the pipe line, and the . screens in the surge chamber ean then bo erected. The tunnel will then be tester out. While this is being done, any work remaining t-o be done in the Mako Stream ean be completed. Powerhouse.—The top floor of the power-house has been laid with special ccncrete. The interior of the building has been painted. The erection of the main switch gear has been completed. All attempts to complete the lining of the tail race tunnel have been frustrated l-y repeated floods. The water has been pumped out no less than ten times with the five pumps that have been installed, but the weather has broken before the concrete could be placed in position. Mangaotca Tunnel and Water-race. — Steady progress in enlarging this tunnel has been made. Notwithstanding the many interruptions due to the weather. A large volume of water has been sent through from the Mangaotea Stream by th.- contractor in constructing the waterrace. This contractor expects to complete the work before Christmas. Tariki Water-race. —In order to expedite this work, which lias been delayed by the weather, another gang was started concreting the section below the Salisbury Road. Given fine weather most of this work will be completed next month. Reticulation. —Poles have been erected on the York and Croydon Roads, and a special crossing made over the P. and T. lines where the 33,000-volt transmission line intersects them on the Ohura Road. Wires have been erected on the Nash, Victoria and Warwick Roads, and services installed. A supply on this section will be available in a few days after being tested. The Brookes Road line has been livened up and a supply given. The main transformers at Motukawa are now being dried out and the switchgear on the outdoor sub-station erected. If weather conditions permit it is proposed to test out the main transmission urife and transformers next week. The report was received. DEMAND FOR SUPPLY. The resident engineer (Mr. B. H. Goldsmith) reported as follows; The number of consumers to date is 1134, 31 installations are completed and ready for connection and 1/ further authorities are signed. In response to the request from residents, a canvass of Durham Road East (beyond the end of the authorised line) has been made. At pi esent five lighting consumers only are offering, requiring nearly a mile of Hue. One settler is considering the installation of a motor and proposes to discuss the matter with his neighbours in an attempt to bring the revenue up to the required figure. A further survey of Bristol Road has been made, but there appears to be very litle prospect of this road showing the revenue necessary to justify reticulation. Of the three milking machines mentioned by Mr. Hopson in his letter to the board, only one is a possibility at present. As the question o. a guarantee will not be entertained by the settlers it appears to be impossible to do anything further with this road at present. Work-shop.—As it will be possible within a few months to dispense with the use of the Midhirst depot, provision will have to be made for a workshop at Eltham for the repairing, testing and drying out of transformers, Kelman switches, etc. I have two alternative propositions to put forward. One is the enclosing of a portion of the loading platform within the present building. This would make a workshop 31ft by lift at a minimum expense. It has the disadvantage that it would be adjacent to the present board room and the noise from the workshop would possibly interfere with meetings in the board room. It would also reduce the present capacity of the building for storage. The other alternative is to erect a workshop in the yard at the rear of the present building on the opposite side to the garage. There is room here for a building Gtift by 20ft, which would not only be large enough for the purpose referred to above, but would provide a storeroom for the motors, etc., which are at present kept in a storeroom for which 15s per week rent is being paid. Bulk line stores such as cable on drums, etc., could then be kept in a dump on the board’s property (sub-station) in King Edward St. Providing arrangements can be made to carry on this work at Midhirst in the meantime, it would not be necessary to proceed with the erection of this workshop immediately, in which case material which will be released from the headworks camps could be utilised.

Transport.—ln my report on this subject last month I stated that it would not be necessary to purchase a 1-ton tiuck if one of Mr. Jardine’s could be made available. One of these trucks has now been handed over for this purpose, and, while it is in good running order, nevertheless, if the policy of replacement is to be adhered to I consider that it would be an economical proposition to trade it in in the purchase of a new Ford truck while it still has a fair second-hand value.—Received. After inspecting the two sites, the board decided to accept the second proposal, and a committee was appointed to bring down a report on costs and materials. It was agreed to take no action in the purchase of the truck. The finance committee reported that the power fund account at last meeting stood at a credit of £947 Is Hd, since which the following moneys were received: Goods £76 18s lOd, current £1997 2s lid, installations £1260 15s, interest £lO6 19s 9d, compensation £3l 6o ad, total £4420 4s lOd, less accounts to pass £lOO7 4s lOd, leaving a balance of £3412 16s 7d. The loan account showed a credit balance of £34,517 16 s at last meeting, since which the following were received: Material £53 12s 7d, firewood £8 ss, rent £25 18s, refund stamp duty, £ll 10s, total £34J>l7 Is 7d, less accounts to pass £8550 6s 4d, balance £26,066 15s 3d. MAINTENANCE OF ROADS. The Inglewood County Council forwarded a statement of the cost of maintaining the Junction Road for the period eliding September 30, showing a balance of £1139 13s payable by the board. This amount, however, was subject to a reduction by the proportion of the Highway Board’s subsidy on the Egmont Village-Kaimata section. The council intended asking Mr. T. M. Ball (district engineer) to apportion this credit which, when done, would leave a balance of £9OO against the .board, for which payment was asked. The letter further pointed out that extraordinary heavy traffic was still being carried on by the board on county roads. In connection with this matter, Mr. H. R. Climie (engineer to the board) recommended that a conference of two power board members and two county councillors, with Mr. Ball as umpire, meet in conference at Stratford to settle the claims. Mr. Climie stated that last month only 20 tons 14 cwt of material was carted by the board, and this could not be considered exceptionally heavy traffic. ' Mr. Anderson: Plenty of farmers carry that weight in milk in a month. Messrs Anderson and Knuckey were then appointed to represent the board at the conference, with the suggestion that they first traverse the roads in order to see exactly how the surface was standing. The representatives were given power to act. POSITION AT CLIFTON. In connection with the recent poll taken of ratepayers in the Clifton area, the secretary stated that the actual result of the poll not yet available on account of the number of declaration votes which had to be investigated. The investigation, however, could make little difference to the result. Asked as to the position of the Clifton area now, the chairman said the district in question was still in the board’s area, but no reticulation was going on. The cost of the poll had to be borne by the south or central portion of the board’s area, and before another poll was taken it would be necessary to have a greater number of signatures on the requisition and a guarantee to cover the cost of the poll. The last poll had cost, in all, about £3OO.