MARCHING NORTH

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 84, 10 April 1937, Page 16

MARCHING NORTH

ELECTRICAL POWER.

WAITEMATA. PROGRESSES.

TOUR OF INSPECTION.

Light and power at the flick of a switch are such commonplaces of modern city life that very little attention is generally given to the means whareby this magic is achieved. The townsman knows, of course, that "the juice" is generated at Arapuni and Horahora, and that forests of power poles and miles of wire radiate through the city streets. Beyond that it is siinplv a question of paying the monthly account for electricity—and there you are!

To realise properly the magnitude of the task of electrical distribution it takes a tour such as the members of the Waitemata Power Board undertook over the whole of the board's area this week. Commencing from Devonport, with its modern system of highway lighting, the finest in New Zealand, the board's tour extended up through Waiwera and Puhoi to Warkworth, then across the island to Kaipara Flats, up the west coast of the Rodney County to Wellsford, and then back in a wide arc through Helensville to Henderson. They thus 1 traversed the 1100 square miles comprising the board's territory, and became familiar with the general scheme for the electrical reticulation of the hitherto "darkest North."

The Functions of Sub-stations. Guided by Mr. C. M. Gray, the board's engineer, nine members of the board visited the sub-stations at Takapuna, Tahekeroa and Henderson. These are the reception points for the electrical energy which the board's lines receive from the high tension mains of the, Public Works supply which marches north to its terminal at Paparoa, carrying 50,000 volts direct from Penrose. At these sub-stations this high voltage is broken down to 11,000 volts for reticulation en route, and the problem which the board has to solve is the incidence of the supply of energy to the 12,000 consumers scattered within the radius of their power lines. A feature of the present reticulation is the provision of some hundreds of horse-power for milking motors, thus indicating the changeover of settlement in the North. An Epic of Organisation.

As explained by Mr. Gray, there is an epic of organisation and achievement behind the first hum of the motor in the milking shed and the dousing of the kerosene lamp in the farmer's kitchen. The terrain in the Waitemata Power Board's area is largely barren and broken, with great spaces between the scattered centres of population. Through this country rise the poles of the Government's main supply, foreshadowing for the northern settler the. comforts and pleasure of man's greatest ally, electricity. To tap this line, which marches straight as an arrow over hill and valley, and thus make it available on many radial routes for domestic and industrial use involves factors of finance, construction and administration of no mean order.

When during 1935 the Rodney County, a no man's land in the Government's original distribution of electrical territories, becaine affiliated with the Waitemata Power Board, no time was lost in considering ways and means for the distribution of energy, and a loan poll for £100,000 was carried in March, 1936. Then came the task of planning the probable reticulation of the area. This involved a complete survey of Rodney County and construction of 30 miles of and feeder lines in the county, radiating, from strategical points to wherever a payable load is obtainable.

Difficulties of Construction. At stages on the route Mr. Gray instanced some of the difficulties of construction. E erv route was personally surveyed on foo't, and the location of every pole determined. Over broken country this meant foot-slogging of an arduous character. When these details were settled, the transport of gear "and material to hilltops and ravines had to be planned. Moving heavv ironbark poles over 30ft long and weighty reels of copper cables to their sphere of utility was a special phase of the work. The material and gear were conveyed by rail or coastal craft to the area, alid then dumped by lorry on the road line, where it was trailed by bullock team through swamp and ford, up hill and down dale to the respective spots indicated on the engineer's plan. The work was progressing at the rate of eight poles a day over country which had to be seen to be realised, being characterised by members as ranking with the most difficult in the Dominion. j

Ensuring Continuity tff Supply. The plan for the reticulation of the area includes the feeding back to all points by the linking'up of all its sections in a ring main, so that the supply of energy may continue without interruption in the event of failure at any sub-station. Areas already "livened'' and supplied are Waiwera, Warkworth, Woodcocks, Ahuroa and Kaipara Flats. On its tour, the board also received requests from settlers for the supply of electricity. These will receive attention in order of urgency, the board's policy being to complete the main routes before diverting to radial supplies. At the conclusion of the tour the board's chairman, Mr. W. R. T. Lei"hton, expressed his appreciation of the progress made in the reticulation of the area, and the members generally en- " reed th e> opinion that the installation of electricity in the North represented an advance of the utmost importance to the Auckland Province.