ELECTRIC POWER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 May 1941, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER

WAIRARAPA BOARD MEETING AT CARTERTON YESTERDAY. QUESTION OF EARTHING FENCES. (“Times-Age” Special.) • The Wairarapa Electric Power Board continued its meeting at Carterton yesterday afternoon. The chairman’s honorarium was fixed at £l5O. A letter was received from the Lake County Council, asking support for- a proposal that the 40 hour week be abolished. It was decided that the matter receive the board’s approval so far as the general war effort was concerned. The Martinborough Home Guard executive wrote thanking the board for providing free lighting for their night parades. The Engineer's annual report was presented by Mr Keenan and various items were explained by him. The Waingawa sub-station and Korerau headworks were both working exceptionally well he stated. He proposed to shut down the latter works in the last week in June for the purpose of the overhaul of the pipeline, and during the last week in November for the cleaning of the dam. During the last year the board had lost five wiremen owing to the war, which had left the board with a skeleton staff. The engineer staff had also been depleted by 7 and a further 3 had been called up. Besides this the new territorial legislation would affect four apprentices. Despite this fact the staff was working very willingly and were certainly doing their best in the war effort. He wished to place on record appreciation of work of the telephone operators in Masterton, Carterton, Grey town and other towns for the prompt calls put over on behalf of the board.

Regarding the earthing of fences, Mr Colquhoun said that he doubted very much if it were the duty of the landowner to do this work. When the board took their high powered lines across private property, it should be the board’s duty to earth fences. Mr Keenan said that under the electrical regulations all lines under 11,000 volts should be. earthed near all gate entrances and at intervals along the fences. Mr Colquhoun said that it was not right to ask a settler to do this work. He could mention an instance where 11 miles of fencing would be involved. Mr Keenan: The matter of earthing fences would cost thousands of pounds if the board had to do the work. At Moroa the cost would be £2 whereas at Norfolk Road it would cost £l5O.

Mr G. Brown said that during a period of 18 years he did-not know of a single 11,000 volt line having caused any trouble as regards earthing. The chairman vacated the chair and Mr G. Brown assumed the position and called for nominations for the position of chairman. Mr W. A. Tate moved and Mr G. W. Hart seconded that Mr A. C. Pearce be chairman. There being no other nominations Mr Pearce was elected for the third term in suecession. Mr Pearce suitably returned thanks. Messrs W. Howard Booth, H. P. Hugo and the chairman were elected an executive committee on the motion of Mr Daniell seconded by Mr W. 4Tate.