TAURANGA ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LV, Issue 9535, 16 July 1927, Page 3

TAURANGA ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

TARIFF FOR' MILKING PLANT AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Tuurnnga Electric Power Board was held in the Board’s Room, Security Budding', yesterday. Present; Messrs T. Lochhead (Chairman), J. Hume, J. Dnrragh C. E. S. Gane, B. C. Robbins, G,' 11. Mehds and 11. J. Gill. Missing Fuses. The borough engineer wrote advising that the Borough Council will accept no liability in regard to two missing I uses. The letter was received. Board’s Lines. The Ctlief Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department wrote forwarding report in regard to the electric lines of the Board. Details were elaborated by Messrs Muudeno and Bougard. Mr Gill moved—That the matter Vie referred to the engineer.—Seconded by Mr Gane and curried. General Purposes Committee. The following report was submitted by the General Purposes and Finance Committee ; Vour Committee lias met on one occasion during the past month and has to report as follows : Power Boards’ Association's Conference. — Ihe order paper for this conference has been received and is available to any member lor scrutiny if desired. Kor financial reasons your Committee recommend that the Board be not represented at the Conference. Arrears of Meter Accounts.—The Sec-retary-Manager reported that a customer has asked the Board to accept the nett amount of the arrears owing by him instead of the gross amount, and he also suggests that if this principle were adopted with others win; are in urrear it would materially assisi the Board in the collection of its over, duo accounts. Vour Committee recommend that the request and suggestion be not entertained. Tariff for Flax Mitts.—Messrs Broad and Berquial submitted tariffs charged by other Boards for the supply ol electricity to llaxmiils, and request the Board to reconsider its decision to adhere to their present tariff. Your Com miltee recomemnd that Messrs Broad and Berquisl be advised that, from an engineering point of view, the alteration is not desirable. List of Orders.—The list of orders placed during the past month was submitted arid. approved. Adding arid Tabulating Machine. — Your Committee recommend the purchase of a Burroughs’ adding and tabulating machine electrically driven, at a cost of £163. This machine should be the means of saving considerable time in the office. Meter Testing Instruments.—The Resident Engineer requires instruments to last the accuracy of meters, and he was instructed to procure prices lor this equipment and submit them to you to-day. Lamp Contract.—Acting on the advice of the Resident Engineer, your Committee recommend that a contract for the supply of lamps for Ihc ensuing year amounting to £375 list value, and subject to a discount of 44 per cent., be placed with Messrs Turnbui and Jones, agent for Phillips’ lamps. Extensions. —Attached hereto is u report from the Resident Engineer regarding proposed extensions: Your Committee recommend that the extensions set out in clauses 1 (b) 2 and 3 be proceeded with. Alterations.--Your Committee has authorised an amount of £5 for alterations to the Secretary-Manager’s and Resident Engineer’s ofliecs for the purposes of providing more light. .Certain other matters were reported upon and dealt with in committee. various clauses in the report were explained by Mr Robbins, the Chairman of the Committee. The recommendations in regard to the Power Boards’ Association’s Conference, arrears of meter accounts, list of orders, lamp contract, and alterations to olliccs, were adopted. The question of purchasing an adding and tabulating machine was discussed. Mr Baigcnl furnished particulars in regard to various machines and recommended the purchase of a Burroughs’ machine. On the motion of Mr Hume, seconded by Mr Gane, it was decided to purchase the machine as recommended by the Committee. Mr Bougard staled that the cost of a meter testing instrument would be about £25. Mr Robbins moved—That the purchase of meter testing instruments be referred to the resident engineer with power to act.—Seconded by Mr Darragh and carried. The Board authorised extensions ns follows: Small extension from Kalikali; extension of the No. 2 Road ('le Puke) line; and extension to the Maketu Village. > Tariff' for Milking Plants. The following report was submitted by the General Purposes and Finance Committee; Having gone thoroughly into above matter'wWjeg to report as follows ; “The chief complaint is from the consumer milking about 30 cows, as his cost of milking per cow is proportionately greater than the consumer milking from 50 to 100 cows. We would point out that this also applies, to a smaller extent, to engine driven plants. Two neighbouring Power Boards have endeavoured to overcome this diillcully. Thames Valley Power Board has in operation a scale of charges based entirely upon the butterfat produced. Their annual eost, based upon 575(H1'. and 20,d(XHl> of but-ter-fat respectively, is fit! 0/0 and £35 0/3. Fader our tariff the charges would be £l2 0/11 and £32. The Central (Waikato) Power Board has a fairly sdisfaetory system based on the number of cow plants installed, plus ;i meter charge. In comparison with the latter we are, approximate!.', in;, per year higher on 2-cow plants, on 3-cnw plants we are the same, while on 4-cow plants we are £2 low-

er and on 5-cow plants and over we are £4 per year lower. For various reasons 1 consider thatOeilher of the above tariffs would not meet with general approval of the majority of our consumers or be in the best interests of our Board. Another complaint is that our hire charge does not discriminate between the It and 2 h.p. motors to our Board will be an ever increas costs. This may appeal' to be the case at present, but we wish to point out that the maintenance cost of mo. tors to our Board will be ever-increas-ing factor. However, consumers can avoid this charge altogether by purchasing their motors outright. We find that, in comparison with engine-driven plants, consumers invariably include this hire charge and in some cases shed lights and water heaters al.-'O while they allow nothing for interest on cost, replacement, -repairs, fuel, cartage and time spent on engines. Neither do they take into account the convenience and absence of oily odours that detrimentally effect their cream. We would also point out that in many instances consumers could reduce their milking costs considerably by increasing the number of cow plants installed. From actual figures we had that consumers milking herds of 30 cows pay from £J2 to £ls and 100 cows pay from £3O to £35 per year, which we regard as fairly reasonable. Owing to the Board’s financial position, we can only recommend that any alteration he held over for another milking season.” On the motion of Mr Bobbins, seconded by Mr Gill, the report was adopted. Resident Bngincer’s Report. Mr J. R. Bongard, resident engineer, submitted the following report; During the month the tine across the Mangawhai estuary has been raised to give the clearance required by the Marine Department. The alterations to the telephone crossings on the Tauranga-Katikati line have been completed. These were necessary owing to the Post and Telegraph Department changing the location of their line when it was reconstructed. A number of new services have been run, and in some cases alterations made to the low tension to meet the increase of load. Maintenance work has been carried out on the Gate Pa-Te Puke main line. The sale of appliances is being well maintained, and it is apparent that the Board’s consumers are gaining confidence in the domestic equipment supplied. Numerous enquiries for milking motors for the coming season are being received, and the next few months will see a marked increase in the connected load. Mr Gane moved—-That the report be received.—Seconded by Mr Darragh tind carried. Report on Interruptions. Mr J. Bongard reported that the following interruptions to the supply have occurred during the month June 21. —A high tension lead was burnt through on the switching station at Te Puke. This was caused by a bird. The lead fell across some other lines and caused tin interruption to the service east of Te Puke. U was necessary to cut the power off a fairly extensive area to effect repairs. The trouble developed about 2 being reported at 3.5 p.m. Repairs were completed at 5 p.m. July 12.—A partial stoppage occurred on the main Katikati line. This was due to the breakdown of a lightning arrester. The first intimation was received at 8.40 a.m., one phase on the main line being out. The Katikati section was supplied through the Aongatete sub-station, and the complete supply was restored at 11 a.m. The report was received. Accounts. Accounts totalling £2.808 4/9 wore passed for payment. Bank *Overdraf I. The usual formal resolution in connection with the Bank overdraft was moved by' Mr Robbins, seconded by Mr Darragh, and carried. Lease of Premises. The Secretary-Manager submitted the draft lease of premises at Te Puke. Mr Darragh moved —That the lease be signed.—Seconded by Mr Gane and carried. Power for Flaxmills. Mr E. L. Broad waited on the Board in regard to the charges for current for OaxmiUs., lie said lie had communicated with the ManaWatu and Oruuu-Horowhenua Power Boards, and ascertained that I hey charged a flat rate of 1.3G5d per unit. Ho asked the Taurungu Board to make a tariff on a similar basis to replace the present tariff. He read a telegram from Mr Ross, of (he Te Puke Flaxmilling Company, who approved of the request. The lluxmilling industry was expanding and the mills were large consumers. Me estimated that the output would be a thousand tons next season. The mills had given a guarantee to lake a certain quantity of current in live years and had taken that quantity in eighteen months. If the present charges were continued the mills would be compelled to disconnect in the uintoi. The Chairman said the request would be considered. Mr Broad thanked the Board and withdrew. A clause in Hie report of the General Purposes and Finance Committee referred to the subject.—This was elaborated by Messrs Mandeno and Bongard. Mr Gane moved—That the matter be referred to the engineer and secret.uy to report upon at next meeting. The motion was seconded by MiMends and carried. Power for Muir’s Reefs. Mr G. J. Muir waited on the Board and asked if the Board had gone any further in the matter of supplying power to Muir’s Gold Reefs. The Chairman said the Board had not received any further communicu lions on the subject from }he cor eminent. Mr Muir said he had ascertained that the position was that the authority to supply power to the mines wa> tho Te Puke Town Board and not the Tauranga Electric Power Board. Ihe Te Puke Town Board hail considered the mutter and was agreeable to sup-