POWER SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 250, 22 October 1935, Page 8

POWER SUPPLY.

FAR NORTH AREAS. PREPARATIONS IN HAND. SPEEDING TTP THE WORK. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DARGAVILLE, this day. "Now that the Government lias practically promised that power will be delivered at Paparoa within twelve months, provided that hardwood poles on order are delivered in time, the board will have to speed up," said the chairman, Mr. J. A. McLean, at a special meeting of North Auckland Electric Power Board yesterday. "The position will be improved if the proposed Northern Power Board functions at an early date," lie said. The assistant electrical engineer, Mr. H. M. Millar, he said, had stated that the Government would definitely have power delivered at the Maungatapere power point within 18 months. He saw no reason, if the Northern Power Board was ready to make a contract why power should not be delivered to Okaihau within 24 months. The board's engineer, Mr. T. R. Overton, was speeding things up. He had called tenders for the supply of hardwood poles and the tenders were to be dealt with at next meeting of the board. The engineer was also arranging with county engineers and public works engineers to secure supplies of metal for the making of concrete poles. While in . Dargaville, continued the chairman, the engineer had inspected a site for a transformer station, a bulk store and workmen's cottages. An option had been secured for an acre and ■a quarter site, which was within the borough and admirably suited in every way for the requirements. The chairman and Messrs. E. G. Appleton, W. Collins, L. W. Nelson and J. A. S. McKay, were appointed a committee to report to the next meeting of the board upon the question of sites for .a depot, permanent office buildings and workmen's cottages. Mr. Collins (Maungaturoto) said he hoped that the board would lay it down as a matter of policy that wherever possible British goods should be given preference. Reporting that arrangements had been made for temporary ofliccs, the chairman said they had been taken for six months, with the right of a further six months. The board would have to look ahead and make provision for permanent offices. A letter was received from the State Fire Office asking for the board's insurances. After some discussion it was decided that the matter should be left to a committee comprising the chairman, Mr. E. G. Appleton, and the secretary to negotiate with the State Office, so that the board might obtain the very lowest rates for its business.

Mi*. R. Coates moved tliat the board should approaeli the State Fire Office asking that the board should be appointed agents for its business. "We will be doing big business with the office in all parts of the three counties and inJlargavilln borough, and it would not be fair for the Dargaville agent for the State Office to get commission on the board's business," he said. The motion was carried.