ELECTRIC POWER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 10

ELECTRIC POWER.

PROGRESS OF THE BOARDS,

FIVE MILLIONS INVOLVED.

VOLTAGE AND LOAD,

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLrarGTON, The Annual' Conference of Delegates representing electric power boards associations, is. taking place to-day. Mr." J. A. Nash, M.V., who Represented the Manawatu-Oroua Power 'Board, presided over a large attendance. He recorded ' the progress made' during the year and L paid a tribute to?.,the' assistance given-by the. Hon. J. G. Coaterf. ' It waa not; proposed; to introduce any legislation affecting "power" boards during the 1925 -session. The Association had been making good progress and the coristruction of the Association'had been a good thing for all concerned. The membership" was now "40, and other electrical,, undertakings were being represented under the constitution of the Association. Mr. Nash als6 dealt with the question of awards ■as affecting -power boards. The executive was endeavouring to have separate awards made for power board workers. It was also seeking power to alter the. constitution and effect the policy of consolidation. The Prime Minister spoke in reference to )thePower Boards Act, and congratulated the Association and electrical supply authorities on' the:l.interest' taken ""dn I reticulation for supply of ■ electricity. The policy to •be studied carried the best methods of generating electricity and the . supply of to, the consumer. ">lfr wasl'oh the power boards' that 'they had 1 to rely for business management. The people of New Zealand "were becoming responsible for large expenditure -up to . £5,000,000 for actual production of electricity, apart from its distribution. The balance sheets *>f power boards showed v . ft st improvement in finance"; • all(, but -about, three were paying their way and only three were collecting rates., ..He considered the power boards'were-on,, the 'way. to making a success of-the supply. '.of, electricity.. : They wpre\looking *for; cheaper electricity; butv.exißting con-; tracts must stand. The Government', must get the same amount in •' the" (total for it's electripity .furnished. The policy was to "deliver electricity right through the, country, and that could only succeed, by one part of the country helping another.. > It was also resolved that-in respect of loans domiciled in Australia' the Government be authorised to make the payment 'rf interest in New Zealand, where such is mutually, satisfactory to the lenders andvborro.\ying authorities, and tl^at, thej Government -provide investing authority for any special funds that may be set aside by power boards, from time to time. . - '-'•*'■ l The conference considered' that-the Government should set an example and connect up its own buildings. arid employees' residences with % power board supplies. It 1 Was stated 1 that railway buildings were usually the last to con-, nect. • ' '"~ - In cases where trees are likely to prove dangerous to electrical works and the supply of current, power is being asked for the boards to cut them down at the expense of the owner and also: %6 put back overhanging branches. * The conference Considered that an award covering all employees' of the boards, irrespective of their particular trade, would be in their interests. A decrease of duty, on electrical appliances is to be-urged. ' " - ■' " ' The report of the Power Bpards' Ens gineers' Conference was'presented by Mr. H. P.. Toogood, and the conference approved of the following resolutions adopted by the engineers r— "That a technical section of the Power Boards' Association.-be formed to meet j annually'immediately'prior:.to;the p o wef | Boards' Conference, "this' section to in- \ elude consulting engineers connected with ' power board' work. 1 ' ••' -' ' """' ' '"'' " : ' « i "That a permanent committee be set' lup to represent the technical section,'! such committee ;to be elected, at an an-1 nual conference ' of-engineers! > I "That the-commitfee be instructed to! collaborate with the'officers of the vari-' ejus Government Departments.concerned, j together 'with the Electrical Federation | and Fire Underwriters' Association, in \ order to bring about a standard set of I rules and regulations. "That the Government be. recommended to set up an advisory board, to I pass-all electrical fittings.and appliances [ offered for sale and use in the'electrical industry. , i . "That the Public Works Department should .maintain at its fee<T ; point a steady voltage or a voltage varying with the load, such that a higher' voltage, may be • obtained • on' heavy loads and lower Voltage 'on lower loads."' A suggestion f of the engineers to. have any electrical engineer or assistant electrical engineer; registered under the Engineers' Registration Act,. 1924, was also adopted,' this to be] added to Power Boards' Amendment Act, 1922.