WAIRARAPA POWER BOARD.

Wairarapa Age, 9 February 1927, Page 3

WAIRARAPA POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. LOAN MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION The monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Power Board was hold at Carterton yesterday. There were present: Messrs. W. Benton (who presided in the absence of the chairman), W. A. Tate, T. Jordan, T. V. Moore, D. McLachlan, K. J. King and C. A. Pearce. Mr. W. Howard Booth was granted leave of absence until the latter part of the meeting. The secretary-manager (Mr. G. Brown) reported that for the first ten months of the year net revenue increased by £6909. If the revenue for the next two months only equalled that of the corresponding period of last year, the revenue for the year would be £30,549, which was in excess of the estimate to which the board was working. ‘‘The average peak load,” Mr. Brown added, “has increased since last meeting and is now approximately the same as during the November-December period, namely 950 K.V.A. This is partly accounted for by the hospital installation which has been put into operation during the month. This extra load has had the further effect of levelling up the general load and increasing the total number of units delivered. This results in a heavier demand on our water supply at Kourarau and necessitates very careful handling of the plants there. Mr. Lambert is, of course, fully conversant with the position, and is working the plant to the very best advantage. . . . Owing to the long

dry spell we have been dependent for some time on the ordinary summer flow of the creeks for our power supply. These creeks are maintaining their flow in a remarkable manner and so far are not showing signs of any great reduction. The "water which had been stored in the upper dam has proved very valuable and rain would be welcomed to again fill up this dam. The old peak periods are still maintained with an additional one at between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.” The area defined in the Wan-gaehu-Weraiti petition had now been gazetted as part of the inner area. The total area so included since March 31 last was 153,074 acres, with a valuation of £2,080,136. Steady progress was being maintained in the installation department. Twenty-six new installations had been put in during the month. NEW CONSTRUCTION. In. submitting the cash statements for the nine months to the end of December, the secretary-manager said that the position, disclosed was satisfactory. With regard to the Construction Loan, he made the following observations: — I again wish to emphasise that the question of providing funds for future construction work and for making alterations to the existing lines to cope with the increasing load will have to be gone into very carefully. By the end of the financial year the construction loan money will be practically exhausted and accordingly all funds for future construction work will have to be provided out of revenue. Included in such work is:— (1) The providing of aM meters and other recording instruments. (2) The cost of all service connections up to 60 feet. (3) A portion of the cost of increasing the carrying capacity of already existing low tension distribution lines due mainly to the installatoin of ranges and other large current consuming appliances. (4) The providing of motor vehicles for transport. ‘At the present time the above are paid out of loan and are in addition to the cost of making extensions to our already existing lines. If the demands on revenue for such work are heavy it will not be possible te make proper allowance for depreciation and renewal funds which it is essential should be done as soon as possible.

At this stage of the board’s operations Such expenditure should be provided out of loan, and in my opinion the board should seriously consider the advisability of financing in this way. I would suggest that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee for special consideration. Mr. T. V. Moore moved that the financial report of the secretary-man-ager should be referred back to the Finance Committee with an instruction to reoarc to the next meeting of the board. There were, ho said, a number of questions that should be settled before the end of the financial year. Many alterations, such as providing heavier power linos would needed to meet the increasing demand for current. Those alterations should be paid for out of loan money; they would pay interest and sinking fund. All necessary information should be obtained from the engineer and the whole matter placed before the board at its next meeting. The motion was agreed to. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported that to ensure the better maintenance of the scheme generally, for *tho convenience of consumers and to assist the line formen in switching operations, the boundaries •and names of the following districts have been altered, as follows: Originally Masterton area, now northern area; Carterton and Greytown areas, now central area; Martinborough and Featherston areas, now southern area. The visit of the Government Inspector lasted two days, reported the engineer, during which time he investigated the progress made since his last visit three and a half months ago. He was very well pleased with the improvement of the standard of the work generally. *