POWER BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 292, 23 September 1935, Page 6

POWER BOARD

ACTIVITIES LAST MONTH.

REJECTION OF MANY NEW POLES REPORTS FROM THE OFFICERS. / Tho Ashburton Electric Power Board met this morning, when there were present Messrs EL F. Nicoll (chairman), J. W. M. Dart, W. H. Rundle, H. J. Crothers, H C. Barton, H. Morris, W. Bryant, R. J. Mulligan, J. Lambie, W. G Gallagher, J. Carr and W. H. Woods.

The financial statement showed that revenue for August was as follows, with, a comparison with that for August, 1934): Domestic ' £3054 2s Gd (£3221 Is 9d), decrease £166 19s 3d; commercial £696 10s lOd (£734 IQs lid) decrease £3B Os Id; power £59/ 5s 3d (£616 6s 8d) decrease £l9 Is sd; sundries £6O 18s 9d (£63 16s lOd) decrease £2 18s Id; total £4408 17s 4d (£4635 1,6 s 2d), decrease £220 18s lOd. Revenue for the first five months of the financial year was £20,235 14s Id, an increase of £553 12s oyer the revenue for .the same period of last year. The Engineer-Secretary (Mr H. GKemp) reported as follows: — “Sixty-four defective bluegurn poles have been replaced by ironbarlc in tho following areas: Blackbridge 22, Highbank 20, Willowby 8, Mt. Hutt 3, Wakanui, Done, Elgin, 2 each; Lynni'ord, Seafield Road, Rakaia, Three Springs, and Dromore, 1 each. In both Blackbridge and Highbank the whole of the high tension bluegum poles are being removed. “A further 149 poles have been delivered on contract 56. On the whole, these are of good quality, although there are a number of rejections for various reasons, and a number have been re-classified. I understand that an expert is on his way here from Australia to inquire into the recent rejection of 400 poles on the same contract, but I have received no advice as to whether he represents the Forestry Commission or White and Co. In view of the large number of rejections and the fact of calling for tenders would delay the deliveries, on consultation with the chairman, I arranged that the Timber, Coal and Box Agency, who were the lowest tenderers on the last contract, to supply a further 400 poles as an extension to the present contract.

“A number of new services were connected during the month involving the following quantities of poles:— Highbank 3, Anama 3 poles (supplied), Lagmhor 6, Willowby 1, Seaneicl 2 poles, Ashburton 2 poles, and Methven 1 pole. The temporary line supplying the St. Leonards Sawmill was dismantled, and was erected at Mayfield at a new mill site.

“Transformer overhaul and earth testing was continued in the Dorie district. Oil was changed in 11,000 volt transformer, earths were tested, and the transformer painted in the Springfield sub-station. The 11,000 volt transformer supplying Methven low tension, which failed in the southwest storm on the 9th instant, was replaced. This is the second of this type of transformer to fail, and the matter is being taken up with the makers. “Trees were trimmed in Maronan and Anama, and slack wires were pulled up on the Seafield road line.” The Running-Engineer (Mr A. T. Saunders) reported that units supplied from Lake Coleridge had totalled 682,000 and from the Diesel 214, a grand total of 682,214. The Diesel plant was running for 2 hours 39 minutes during the month, using 26 gallons of crude oil. The Inspector (Air G. W. Welsh) reported that the wiring department had another good month at installation work and the connected load was higher than last month’s by ten kilowatts. The main items installed was a 25 h.p. motor for the Ashburton Dairy Company, 25 h.p. motor for flourmills, 20 new consumers and 39 extensions and alterations. The St. James Theatre had been conected and the overhaul and repairs to the generators had been effected by the department. New chicken brooders had been made and several small motors had been "rewound.

The retest work was being proceeded with and the Mayfield, Anama, Ruapuna and Ashburton Forks was nearly completed. The repair gang on the area had also nearly completed their work, and those consumers who had not taken notice would be served with final notices and special trips would have to be made to complete their work. Most of the consumers in the districts mentioned previously had realised the necessity of these inspections and had had the adjustments made while the men were in the district, thus saving considerable expense. The reports were adopted.

The Board discussed the chairman’s report on the recent power authorities’ conference (published on page 7). Mr Carr referred to the profits made by cities andi said that when these were too great, it would lead to a reduction in consumption. Mr Carr mentioned the injustice which permitted town ratepayers in arrears of rates to vote at elections but prohibited country ratepayers in a similar position from voting. The chairman said lie did not know why this should be the ease, but apparently there was some good reason for it.

Mr Dart agreed with Mr Carr that it was an injustice. Members expressed appreciation of the report.