ELECTRIC POWER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1940, Page 9

ELECTRIC POWER

WAIRARAPA BOARD MEETING TODAY AT CARTERTON. SATISFACTORY INCREASE IN REVENUE. The monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Power Board was held at Carterton today.. The Secretary-manager, Mr Geo Brown, reported that he was again abel to report an satisfactory increase in revenue for the months of December and January. The increase was such that the estimated revenue for each of the months had been exceeded by an appreciable amount. For the first ten months of the financial year (April to January inclusive) the gain on last year was £5655 16s sd, the gain on the estimate being £28,668 4s lOd. In the circumstances the turnover had been well maintained, and although the margin of profit would be less than last year, the final result should be sat--1 isfactory. On the expenditure side, the cost of power had exceeded the estimate by a small amount. Considering the increase in revenue over the estimate, the position was (satisfactory. Compared with 1938-39 the cost of power had increased by £2807 14s Bd. It should be noted that 56 per cent of the increase in revenue had to be paid to the Government for the extra power purchased to produce that increase. Interest would exceed the estimate by approximately £2OO, which was due to the fact that the full amount of the reticulation loan —£25,000 —was raised instead of £12,500 as was originally intended. The estimated profit for the year was £2,395. Excluding any profit over and above the estimate on trading and excluding the transfer which will have to be made to cover capital expenditure on the other reticulation work, the profit for the year should be close on £4,000. During December the connected load increased by 298 K.W. and included 151 light points, 75 heat points, 26 ranges, 22 water heaters and 40 motors. In January the load increased by 216 K.W., which included 124 light points, 66 points, 19 ranges, 9 water heaters and 35 motors. The Local Government Loans Board had approved for the use of the proceeds of the sale of the cottage at Waingawa for purchasing a property at Featherston. The number of consumers was 6023 to date, compared with 5882 last year. The position in connection with range stocks was improving, as stocks of New Zealand ranges were available. The chief engineer, Mr H. B. Keenan, in the course of a comprehensive report covering engineering activities for the past two months, stated that in the northern area a total of 30 service connections were erected. The erection of the new 11,000 volts emergency feeder for Masterton was progressing very slowly. The job was six weeks behind schedule, owing to wire and switchings being required from overseas! Considerable headway had been made with maintenance work in the area. All lines had the usual monthly patrols, and equipment liable to breakdown had been attended to. There were two major interruptions to outlying lines, which were speedily attended to. In the Central area 21 service connections were erected. The construction of the 11,000 volts line on the main Masterton-Car-terton highway had been completed and livened during December. A fair amount of maintenance work had been carried out in the area. There were five interruptions to the supply. In the southern area 9 service connections were erected. There were three major interruptions to the supply. During January a considerable number of western gales strained the system to the utmost. At the headworks, both plants had the usual monthly running repairs and overhauls.