HEAVY LOSER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1942, Page 5

HEAVY LOSER

TARARUA POWER BOARD EKETAHUNA OFFICES WRECKED. PARTIAL MOVE TO PAHIATUA. ("Times-Age” Special.) The Tarawa Electric Power Board .was a heavy loser in last week’s earthquake. The head office .of the Board is at Eketahuna. where it owns a two-storey brick building which has been condemned on account of damage done to it. This is a severe blow to board, as the building was damaged as a result of an earthquake some years ago, and, cost over £1,500 to be repaired on that occasion. Extensive damage was done to consumers’ services, but the Board’s Emergency Organisation came into operation. very shortly after the disturbance, and an immediate start was made to restore services and to render fallen lines safe. Fortunately extensive damage did not occur to the main distribution lines. At a special meeting of the board, called to deal with the emergency, it was decided to engage the services of a competent architect to inspect the building and to submit a report thereon, and as a temporary measure it was decided to convert a corrugated iron shed at Eketahuna into an office to accommodate some of the office staff. The secretary-treasurer and the remainder of the staff were instructed to proceed to the board’s premises at Pahiatua as soon as convenient to carry on the administration from there. After it has been possible to take stock of the whole position, the board intends to consider the future location of the head office, and to decide whether to establish it at Pahiatua or Eketahuna. A resolution was passed placing on record the heartfelt thanks of the board members to all sections of the staff, both outside and inside, on the manner in which they rose to the occasion to do what they could in the interests of the board and its consumers. The chairman, Mr Davies, in moving the resolution, stated that from the junior employees to the executive officers a very fine spirit of loyalty and devotion to duty was shown.