POWER BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 158, 16 April 1928, Page 4

POWER BOARD.

REPORTS BY THE OFFICERS. CONDITION OF GUM POLES. The Ashburton Electric-power Board met this morning, when there wereprestnt:—Messrs E. F. Nicoll, S. Smith, W. T. Lill, J. W. M. Dart, W. H. Woods, H. J. Crothers, W. H. Rundle, W. G. Gallagher, A. Horsey, H. Morris. In the absence of the chairman (Mr F. W. Watt) who is in the North Island, Mr Nicoll was elected to the chair. The financial statement showed that the revenue for the month had totalled £3029 0s lid, comprising domestic service £lB9 12s Bd, commercial service £292 13s lid, power £51,6 18s Id, public lighting £286 9s sd, sundries £35 6s lOd. Loan cash receipts since the previous meeting had totalled £1313 2s. The Engineer-Secretary (Mr H. G. Kemp) reported that the maintenance gan<r had completed the reconstruction of Allenton according to the new layout of the town reticulation and the new steel substation at Allen's Road had been put into service. Both the Fairton and Dromore lines had been overhauled and a number of blue-gum poles on the former line, which were showing signs of decay, had been replaced. On the Dromore line considerable alterations were carried out on 'behalf of the Post and Telegraph Department to.give the necessary protection to their lines. A large number of the older service lines in the town had. also been brought up to the present standards to give the required clearance from the Post and Telegraph lines. The usual alterations had been carried out to rural lines during the month to give supply to new range and motor installations. The Running Engineer (Mr A. T. Saunders) reported that units supplied from Lake Coleridge-had totalled 489,960 and the Diesel 403, a total of 490,363. The maximum demand on Coleridge (1300 KVA.) was on sth, 6th, and 14th, and on Station (1361 K.W.) on the 6th and 13th. The Diesel plant was running for 4 hours 36 minutes during the month. The maximum demand on Coleridge for the quarter was 1300 Kva., and on,Station 1377 K.WThis showed a saving of 77 K.W. (£154 for the quarter), by using the Diesel, plant for a total running time of 10 hours four minutes. Coleridge power failed four times, for a total of 21 minutes. ''' ',',': The Inspector (Mr G. T. Welsh) reported that the house-wiring staff had been busy owing; to the number of extensions that had been required. A fair amount of work had been earned out on extra heating and lighting points. A number of ranges and water-heaters had been installed and temporary wiring was also installed as required by the Theatre Royal and the Soldiers' Club. Eight ranges and three water-heaters were connected, and seven motors installed. Ranges mow totalled 439, water-heat-ers 273, and motors 819. Seven anplications for current were received, making a total of 2959 consumers. With regard to the blue gum ipoles that had been removed to the Fairton line, the Engineer-Secretary stated that they had been treated with a certain "preservative" which had caused a dry rot to set up in the heart of the pole. Other poles cut and put up at the same time and not treated, were standing well.