BANKS PENINSULA POWER BOARD

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17634, 11 December 1922, Page 3

BANKS PENINSULA POWER BOARD

At the monthly mooting of tho Banks Peninsula Power Board there wero present Messrs J. R. Thacker (chairman), Geo. Armstrong, J. V. Chapman 'W. F Parkinson, J. E. Fleming and J. D. Bruce, and Mr J. E. Texnplin (.consulting engineer).

la reference to tho continued serious illness ot the fii-dl chairman at the board, Mc A. Goodwin, whose resignation had been receive a. month ago, memDore expressed tne keenest ifcgrct that, such circumstances compelled him to sever his connexion with a public work that he had been bo enthusiastically instrumental in initiating, and had carried on ior a tim.2 with such splendid results. The resignation was accepted Wi"i very sincere regret.

Mr J. K. Thaekcr was unanimously elect' ed chairman-

Mr Goodwin was granted a further thr.ee months' leave of absence as a member or the Board.

The Chairman reported that he had interviewed tlra Board's legal advisers on the matter of the Akaroa municipal electric plant. The Board went into committee to consider the matter, and upon resuming it was reported that th,3 Board had instructed its solicitors to tako- possession of the Borough plant on December 7th, the date of expiry of the term during which the Borough Council could appeal against the finding of the Supreme Court. The resident engineer (Mr F. A. Lewthwaite) submitted his monthly report. It stated that 205 poles had been erected on. the. Menzies Bay and Port Levy lines, completing this section. between the school and Mr C-. Steel's residence. About 330 more poles would finish Port Levy. No. 1 wiring gang had finished Aylmcr's Valley section, Akaroa, and now reduced to f<ur men, was busy on ths Duvauchelle-Akaroa, telephone line. No. 2 gang had finished Little Okaloa. and the Menzies Bay extension as far as Decanter Bay: This section, was almost completed, and the gang would then shift to Port Levy. Arrangements had been mads to have the Grehan Valley (Akaroa) and the Little Akaloa lines inspected by the Publio Works Department forthwith, so that these sections .would soon, be linked up. All sub-station switchboards had now been fitted up and connected. In respect to the proposed line to Maori Pah, Port Levy, the engineer now understood that no electric milking motors would be installed, and that apart from some of th* Maori houses there would be only two other installations. He asked for a pronouncement a« to whether the line should bo constructed. The report was adopted.

Mr Fleming handed in a. list of applications for current showing that the Maori Pah line and Port Levy would b* a very profitable one, and it was decided to construct the line.

Mir Parkinson reported that there had been great trouble in Kaituna over the delay caused by stoppage of current. Mr Templin said it was particularly unfortunate that these delays had come just when the Board wanted the scheme working well. On the chairman's motion, Mr Templin was authorised to interview the Publio Works Department in respect to reduction of charges in drying out transformer, and general loss suffered by the Board in the breakdowns. ......

Mr Templja reported as follows, with respect to the general working of the Bchemes: There now remained only the Port Levy and th© Akaroa Borough lines to inspect by the Public Works Department, before the whole job was -completed. Some of the switchboards in the sub-stations had been put into operation. He regretted that th.;re had .been transformer trouble at Kaituna, especially at this busy milking season, for it was now that everything possible should be done to give a reliable service. He advised the Board to obtain some spare coils for the transformers. Regarding Akaroa Borough, it would be possible to supply the town with Lake Coleridge; alternating current very quickly, provided residents would agree to do without the Borough plant's supply in the meanwhile. The report was adopted.

The chairman was empowered to ascertain Akaroa's wishes in the last-mentioned matter, and to interview the. "Borough Council regarding* prica for street and wharf lighting.

In reg-aid to the Borough plant, Mr Templin further stated that Akaroa could bo ran from Lake Coleridge independent cf it 3 own plant, or it oould run tho plant by itself. Again, the two oould lie. run in conjunction. Ho considered tfc,3 Borough plant would be used only in the afternoons and evenings. It waa agreed that the secretary's permanent office be placed at Little Eiver. It waa decided to effer tho position of permanent resident engineer to Mr F. A. Lewthwaite. ■> .

It was decided to i>sep supplies of lamps end other requisites at Akaroa, Duvauchelle and Little River. It was decided to male* application for debentures for another £3500 of loan money.