POWER BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 14 April 1926, Page 6

POWER BOARD.

YESTERDAY’S MEETING. A meeting of the South Canterbury Power Board was held in. 'Timaru yesterday. Present. —Messrs J. Kennedy v chairman), K. Mackenzie, G. J. Wallace, J. R. Bruce, J. C. South, W. Hayman, S.. I. Pitch, G. Saunders, J. Drinnan and C. E. Kerr. An apology was received from Mr \\. Angiund., 'llio chairman, in ’his statement, said-“ Owing to the Easter holidays, and the fact that wo are in the transition period between the completion of the Geraldine and YVuimato construction and the commencement of the Levels work, thero is little to report regarding the p’ast month. Drait plans for the new offices will ho submitted to you to-day, and, if approved, tenders will be called for consideration at our next meeting. Money is being offered freely in connection with the Levels Loan, and the present indications arc tiiat there will he no trouble in raising the money when, and as required. Tile poh for the War mate County will take place on May 12, and it will be necessary to arrango for the 'holding of meetings and propaganda work in connection therewith.”

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The Executive Committee reported as follows: —“The following accounts have been checked and are recommended tor payment:—Waimate Loan: £352 3s‘ lid, Geraldine Loan: £9OO Os Id; Levels Loan: £2-13 18s 6d, Geraldine Advances £1 2s 6d and General Account £1536 10s 1. Accounts to April 13, 1920: Waimate Lean £320 I'ls lOd, Geraldine Loan £lOl2 19s lOd Levels Loan £099 13s od, Geraldine Advances £OSO 14s od. Waimate Advances £ll 10s, General Account £79 10s S)d. Mr H. Hall has submitted alternative draft plans for offices and buildings and will attend to explain same, lour committee is of opinion that the Board should adopt the larger proposal submitted. Transport is required for two inspectors, and your committee recommends that two lialfton Pord trucks be purchased and charged to the Levels Loan. The committeo recommended: the transfer from Geraldine to Levels of construction equipment, consisting of: 1 polo crane, 1 Ley land lorry, 2 whares, Pordsou tractor and trailer, 1 each foreman’s and construction Pord cars, horses, spring carts, tool and hand carts, and loose tools sufficient for two polo and wiring gangs. This would represent .approximately one half of the Geraldine plant, and should be. charged at a valuation to be settled by representatives of Geraldine, Levels and the manager. Your committeo approves of the manager employing the following female stair, until such time as more assistance i» required: One book-keeper at £3 per week; one typist© at £3 per week; one tiling clerk at £1 15s per week; one junior assistant at £1 5s per week. The tirst and third positions to be retained by the present occupants. The Canterbury Employers’ Association advise that it is probable that a conference wili be held shortly between the Canterbury Bower Boards and representatives of employees re an Industrial Award Your committee is of opinion that the Board should bo represented and advise that the matter be left to the chairman and manager to arrange accordingly.” , •

The statement of receipts and expenditure for the various loan.accounts for tile year ended March 31 was as follows: — • ■

Geraldine Loan: balance brougnt forward £1045 3s fd, receipts £51,313 7s, payments £51,091 5s 9ii, leaving a balance ot £4207 is lOd. Debentures not yet issued £17,300. Waimau 1 Loan: balance brought forward £lO3l 4s 2d, receipts £27,390 9s Id, payments £21,033 Vs Id, leaving a balance of £7389 0s 2d Debentures no yet issued £BOOO. __ . Levels Loan: receipts £5504 3s 9d, payments £2OOO 0s od, leaving a iiulanco of £3503 17s 4d. Debentures not yet issued £01,500. General and Bower Fund Account: balance brought forward £873 3s Gd, receipts £10,012 5s Id, payments £SBBG 10s 4d, leaving a balance of £202 18s 3d Contractor’s deposits amounted to £520 11s, leaving a net cash balance of £ISOB 7s 3d. Geraldine Advances; balance brought fonvard £239, ss, receipts £1229 17s lid, payments £1143 15s, leaving a balance of £345 7s Id. Debentures not yet issued £4OOO. Waimate Advances: receipts £535 4s Gd, payments £1 13?;, leaving a balance of £533 11s Od. Debentures not yet issued £IOOO. MAINTENANCE ENGINEER'S RETORT. The maintenance engineer reported as follows for March: —Total number of consumers connected to 31/3/20, 794; total connected load to 31/3/20, 1014.178; total connected load for March, 580.932; total domestic load for March 81.800; total power load l'os March 10.410; total number of consumers connected during March, 83; Lotal number of consumers connected during March (Waimate), 51; total .number of permits issued in Waimate during March, 32; total number of permits issued in Geraldino during March, 37; freezing works load, 400.282; freezing works lighting load, 80.440. The meters wore read in tlie Geraldine and Waimate areas, and the revenue from 773 consumers was £IO4O ■2s.

The highest maximum demand' in Waimato was 18 k.w., which occurred on Saturday, March 27. On March 25, at the Winchester show, an information bureau was held with a display of electrical appliances. In the afternoon Miss Kennedy kindly gave a demonstration of cooking by electricity, and groat interest was shown in the demonstration by ladies of tho district, and numerous inquiries have been made. The electrical contractors were still very busy in the Waimato district, and applications were still coming in . freely. Most of the installations in tho Hilton line had now been completed, and tiie contractor was si acting in the Waitohi district. No. 1. wiring gang completed the wire stringing on tho upper end of tho Hilton line, and extensions on the loth ultimo; they wore then moved to Temuka, and commenced wire-stringing on the Temuka-Seadown lino on tho 16th ultimo. This line was completed as far as the Arowhonua Hotel on the 24th ultimo. No. 11 wiring gang had been wirestringing on tho "Hilton line. This work, including Sharp’s bridge extension, would be completed on or about the I(sth inst. The transformers' for ibis line not hnving como to hand, consumers would not be supplied with current for some time to come. , Moreover, the P. and T. Department had not yet removed their' earth telephone line, which runs under the ■ HiltonWnitohi lines for approximately If miles on each roide. The earthtesting of the Timaru-Pareora and Pareora-Waimato transmission lilies had been completed, and returns of same forwarded to the Public Works and P. and T. Department. Earthtesting was now being carried out on tho Timaru-Tomnka 41,000 volt line. 'Phis will he completed on or about the l.Sth ilist.. after which the 'I eiiinkaGerakline line would he taken in hand. The first consignment of 1500 poles on the Levels contract was due on or about the 15th inst.. and the hardwood cross-aims for the Washdvke-Pleasaut Point line should he here about the end of this month. The approximate cost of fhe Wfl-sMvke-Plenson* Pend: line, including the reticulation of

Pleasant Point, hut excluding the substation at Washdyke, was £4OOO. Revenue required, £500; revenue obtained,. Pleasant Point town, £105; street lighting estimated revenue, £SO. Another £35 revenno was required in Bleasant Point, which would leave a ■deficiency of £250. This, ho thought, coukl be obtained by a judicious canvass of the twenty-nine consumers directly adjaoerit to the Pleasant Point road. AROWHENUA-POINT LINE. Mr Templin reported that on the rieasant Point-Arowhcnua road iliero was sufficient revenue to warrant the construction of a lino as far as Mr W. D. Fitzgerald’s residence. On tlio main road tlio revenno guaranteed was not quite sufficient, but he was confident that the hotel would produce far more than its guarantee. PLEASANT POINT. Referring to Pleasant Point, Mr Templin said the revenue guaranteed was insufficient to pay all charges, but nothing had been ..included for those places between Washdyke and the Town Board area. '(’hero were 29 houses oil this road, and if they averaged £0 per house, tlio extension would be self-supporting, if to this was added tlio additional revenno to ho expocted from Pleasant Point. Foi* instance, the two hotels had only guaranteed £3 per year each, but they coukl bo depended upon to pay far mere than, that for the light they would use. i Mr Saunders said he was_ confident that about double the revenue would bo received from street lighting in the Point. The light was wanted, and the people wore willing to pay for it. .. Tlio consulting engineer recommended . tlio construction of, tlio- two linos, and. said ho was satisfied that the minimum- revenue guaranteed would be. far exceeded. The engineer’s suggestion was adopted. • ~ , . In reply, to Mr Saunders, tho chairman said that if those who could not afford to pay straight out for tho necessary electrical fittings paid onefifth of tho cost down, tho Board would . advance the balaneo by way of loan, to bo repaid by instalments. All particulars coukl bo obtained on application, to tho secretary.

W ATM ATE POLL. On the suggestion of Mr Dnnnan, arrangemonts were made for propaganda work in connection with tho Waimate County poll. It was arranged' that meetings should bo held at seven centres, and that the representative of each riding on the County Council should bo 'asked to preside.

CORRESPONDENCE. Included in the correspondence was a letter from the Railway Department refusing to admit the Board’s claim for threo, missing poles, valued at £3 .each. . .. , . The Public Works Department wrote declining to make an allowance to the Board on account of high voltage. The Timaru Golf Club wrote withdrawing tlicir claim, for damage through electric light poles having been erected' on their links at Highfickl.

RESIDENT ENGINEER’S REPORT. The resident engineer reported on the work carried out during the month. No. 1 polo gang completed tho polo erection on the Waitohi lino on tlio 10th ultimo. It was then moved to Tcmuka, and wore employed erecting poles. Tho gang was disbanded oil tho 20th ultimo. llic ganger and fitter had . since been 'employed, ro-ranuning poles on tho Hilton lines and extensions. . Two of the men had also.' been employed cutting down and trimming back trees, •on tho Winfcolii and Siiarp s bridgeextensions. NEW OFFICES. Mi-'Herbert Hall waited on the meeting, and explained his plans lor the Board's proposed new buildings, facing NVoollcombe and Barnard Streets. Iwo plans were submitted, and utter consideration, tlio larger of the two was adopted, and Air Hall was instructed to call tenders for. the erection of tho buildings. TENDERS. The tenders of Wcddorspoon and Co. at 9.060 per lb, for 100 miles of No. 8 copper wire, and that of Richardson and McCabe, for 60 miles of copper plaid steel wire, at 10.02 d per lb, were accepted. „„„ SOUTH CANTERBURY BOOKLET. The South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce forwarded a number of copies of their illustrated booklet on South Canterbury, and thanked the Board for its generous donation towards tlio cost of the publication. Mr Mackenzie said the booklet was alright, with the exception of tho cover, which gave the impression that it,was a child's book; the inside, however. was quite good. With this opinion other members agreed, it being said that the cover looked too cheap. . Mr Kerr: “But I think the Chamber is to bo congratulated oil the booklet os a whole.”