D.—l.

A fault causing interruption was due to geophysical surveyors shooting a wire over 110 kV. line. Telephone-line : Subsequent to inspection throughout the year, sixteen poles were replaced and sixteen other cross-arms renewed. Fault due to broken juniper repaired. Deviation to line made at Whales' property. The Bonny and Turakina Huts rewired. Pole at Kakariki washed out; replaced in new position. A 52 ft. pole erected at Kiwitea Stream, and new pole on Wing's property. Line deviated near pole 350. A fault due to an elevator fouling the line was repaired. Wanganui-Hawera-Stratford. Regularly patrolled. Insulators tested throughout and defective units replaced. Bracing refitted on structure 96. Conductor renewed at tower 29 following on flashover damage. Internal bracing of structure 166 repaired. Repairs were effected to A.B.S. at Waverley, and weights were changed on structure 583. A fault occurred at Wanganui River due to a suicide. Telephone-line: A fault due to sagging of wires from heat of gorse fire repaired. Several telephone cross-arms were replaced, and trees cut back where required. Stratford-Pohukwa. —One fault, due. to lightning flashover at tower 200 (blue-phase No. 8 unit damaged) repaired. Insulators tested, and defective units replaced. Telephone-line : Sag at tower 186 adjusted. Pole-to-pole inspection made, and several days spent on line overhaul. Bunnythorpe-Woodville.—Pole-to-pole inspection made. Insulators tested, and defective units replaced. Four broken strings replaced. Heavy track-maintenance required on this section during bad weather. Telephone-line : Four defective poles were replaced and others desapped. Woodville-Masterton. —Pole-to-pole inspection made. Insulators tested throughout, and defective units replaced. A track over Burney Hill made to give better access to line with truck. Cross-braces repaired at pole 1233, line (9). Weights replaced due to broken hooks. Telephone-line : Pole-to-pole inspection with subsequent overhaul. All copper sleeves cut out; several cross-arms replaced and huts attended to. Poles were replaced. A broken cross-arm and leakage at Brace's Hut caused interruptions. Snow loading on Power Board lines causing contact with telephone-line and a wireless aerial fouling line caused other interruptions. Floor in Toss' Hut replaned. The No. 8 S.W.G. near Hukanui replaced by stranded wire. Six poles replaced, and defective insulators on another four poles replaced. Due to erosion of Mangatainoka River, ten poles were moved back nearer to main line. Woodville-Dannevirke-Waipawa-Napier.—Pole-to-pole inspection, insulator testing, and subsequent replacements. Defective strings on forty-five poles of Dannevirke Hill section replaced. Metal caps on pole tops completed. Telephone-lines : Pole-to-pole inspection and overhaul. One fault repaired and three poles replaced. Napier-Waikaremoana Duplicate Lines.' An earthquake caused breakage of post insulators on Pihanui section switch ; posts changed also on isolating-switches at Waikoau, Kotemaori, and Pihanui. Conductors examined for vibration breaks, and several found. Dampers of the " by-pass " type were fitted to this line in the summer of 1937—38, while at the same time all broken strands were replaced and in bad cases new pieces of cablc let in. An examination of the cable in February, 1940, revealed the presence of further breaks, and these have been replaced. The evidence indicates that the breaks recently discovered were either old breaks which were missed during the installation of the dampers or breaks which were partially completed at the time of installation of dampers, and have subsequently extended to completion. Telephone-line: A short deviation made at Mohaka River to avoid slipping country, and one pole replaced at peg 305. (ii) 50 kV. Lines. Stratford - New Plymouth.—lnsulators tested and defective units changed. Parallel grooveclamp bolts on four strain poles changed. Cross-arm renewed on pole 15. Pole 182 came over, due to drain close by breaking away. Pole replumbed and strutted across drain. Pole 142 blocked. Broken binder pole 45 (yellow phase) replaced. A shattered insulator renewed and cross-arm replaced. Pole 124 stubbed due to a bad knot; pole 247 replaced, and several others desapped. Telephone-line : Pole-to-pole inspection and overhaul made. Insulators shattered by rifle fire replaced. Waikaremoanar-Gisborne.—lnsulators tested and changed were necessary. Post insulators changed on isolating-switches at Ruakituri, Tiniroto, and Ilangaroa. Telephone-line : Damaged horn gap ; lightning-arrester replaced. Lightning damaged insulators on sectionalizing switch at Ruakituri, which had to be replaced. Waikaremoana- Wairoa. —Line deviated at Piripaua to avoid canal, and the drastic overhaul of this line has now been completed, a certain amount being done under live-line conditions. (iii) Distribution. Khandallah (11 kV. Lines). —New A.B.S. erected on structure for Hutt feeders; repairs effected to damaged railway feeders. Some poles required strutting due to road alterations, and position of pole 14 changed. Deviation of lines through State housing settlement made. Pole 85, railway-line, desapped and cross-arm refitted. (iv) General. (1) Khandallah High-tension Testing-set.—When in use this set was chiefly required for retests on insulators found defective in live-line testing. x • _ r> In addition, sample strain and suspension insulators have been subjected to test.

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