UNDERGROUND CABLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 286, 2 December 1936, Page 16

UNDERGROUND CABLE

ELECTRICITY FOR FARMS. REPORT BY ENGINEER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) v TE AROHA, Tuesday. At the December meeting of the Thames Valley Power Board to-day, the engineer, Mr. N. G. McLeod, - reported that from ti&e to time consumers had made inquiries regarding the cost of installing underground services on their farms. ' The inquiries had been more numerous after the district had been visited by severe storms.

An estimate, he said, had been made on the cost of installing the cables on the assumption that the farmer would dig the necessary trench and fill it in after the cable was laid. The cables were suitable for use on pressures up to 1000 volts, and were armoured with two steel tapes. Underground cables, properly laid and connected, had been in service in Britain over 40 years without any maintenance. With the considerable advance in the art of cable manufacture in recent years, it was reasonable to believe that modern cables would give at least as good service. In many cases the smallest cables would be quite large enough for isolated pumps and for milking sheds. Where complete house supplies, as well as milking sheds, had to be catered for larger cables would be indicated. The cost of installation for one house and one shed, with two conductors, was estimated at £12 9/ for one chain and £69 9/ for 20 chains.

Relatively, there had been comparatively little damage due to overhead lines, but to the individual affected it might be a very serious matter. The fact that underground mains presented no eyesore on the farm, and that they had a comparatively long life might induce certain consumers to acfopt them. It was decided that the tabulated costs and full particulars compiled by the engineer be available to,, the board s consumers. V • November was a wet month in Opo- ' tiki, rainfall recorded in the borough being 0.29 in. Rain. fell on 15 days, the heaviest fall on one day being 2.28 in. The fall was well above the corresponding period last year, when 4.59 in was recorded.