PENINSULA POWER BOARD.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17807, 5 July 1923, Page 6

PENINSULA POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. ' At' the monthly meeting, of the. Peninsula Power Board, there • werel prosent:,, Mesata J. R. Thacker (chairman),; Geo. Armstrong, J. 'V. Chapman, W. F. Parkinson, A. E. Williamfl, C. E. Kay, J. B. Templin (consul ting engineer), and H. F. Lewthwaite (*a(ident. ongineoij).' An apology "was received from Mr J. D. Bruce.

The engineer's construction report was received and adopted. It stated that the line gong had completed work in Akaroa. Akaroa Borough had been changed ever to Coleridge current on June J 4th. A certain amount oi trouble had been experienced, m. the.-north, end of the town, due to the fact that u. set of 16 kv.a. and one of 9 k.v.u. had been used. together in place of the 30 k.v.a. which had been sold. It was. found impossible to run these transformers together,' and after trying various connexions, it had been found necossary' to shift the 5 k.y.a. transformers from ©kern's to Akaroa. Since then the lighting had been quite satisfactory. About 80 meters had been connected in the town; the rest-should bo finished:'by tho end of. July.' All D.C. motorß in Akaroa, except two, had been changed L to A.C. The maintenance gang had been employed locating and tepairing faults, connecting houses in and about Akaroa, running services for hew consumers, and carrying out repairs to various places to low tension wires. There was some fault on th« line between Purau and Diamond Harbour which was being investigated. • i■ . The chairman reported that he had interviewed the Public. Trustees in Wellington, and Had offered, on behalf of the Board, to take a further £SOOO loan at 5J per cent. A donation of fivo guineas from Messrs Sylvester and Co., contractors, was accepted with hearty thanks Mr Parkinson reported that there \ras trouble again with the light in the Kaituna district. Ho suggested that the line should be thoroughly overhauled before nest milking season. Messrs Harper, Pnseoe, and Buchanan wrote in'reference to the adjustment of accounts between *he Board and Akaroa Borough > Council. The matter could notTyet be finally: settled, as the account for running stock had not been sent in., The snme firm notified that the coat of election of memters for Power Board would be borne by constituent looal bodies. The secretary reported that he had sent out notices 'for chart reading of meters. It would be tried alternately over each half of the district. Men v/ould be Bent round every other quarter to read the meters. , In. a discussion on: the finances of the Board, it was stated that £38,000 had already been spent in carrying oat tho Peninsula extension scheme. The Board had left now less than £2OOO of the loan money raised. Mr Tempiin said another £IO,OOO should be obtained. Ho had written tho Depaitment on the matter, and had been informed that at present tho amount waß not available. It would be as well to notice that- members might become personally liable if the Board by paying for all outsido lines asked for, exceeded this £IO,OOO. The limit of loan money, as defined by the Act, when the Board was .constituted, was £IOO,OOO. Tho secretary pointed out that all loans ran out in 86J years, except one for £20,000, . which would fall duo a little over nine years henc?. The sinking fund of 1 per cent, would not redeem this loan. Ho felt himself; that it was a ca3© of getting expert advice :on tho financial questions involved. On the motion of Mr Parkinson, the secrei tary waß empowered to gist advice. In reference to an office at Little Rivr, r the secretary etated that the Railway Dei pnrtment was willing to grant a site. The engineer and the secretary were deputed to revise the Boaid'B by-lawß, and report to & special meeting. At the chairman' 3 suggeiition,- each member Undertook to; get a list of "unconnected" people in his. own particular district, with a | view to obtaining more consumers.

It was- stated that Barry's Bay factory would connect up if it cou'.d" be proved that other factories had made electric power a pnyinp concern.