ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18094, 9 June 1924, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

BANKS PENINSULA. ■ ' « . _____ At tho monthly meeting of the Peninsula Power Board, there were present: Messrs J. D. Bruce (chair), J. V. Ctapman, Geo. Armstrong, and F. A. Lewthwaite (engineer). As the. number present did not constitute a. quorum, it was decided to deal with correspondence and report an J do Id a special meeting in'a fortnight to confirm the business done. * The engineer's report was read and approved. It stated that during the recent stormy weather, the main hne had been out of order occasionally, and a blockagfe' in the supply pipe to the Akaroa power house had held uj> tie' local plant lor a. time, but these interruptions had soon been i overcome. The seorctary reported that during, the month 10 '"cut off'' noticed kad u»»eu posted to .consumers whose overdue- acoounts had reached the t-imo limit allowed. Since then,' five had paid up. Two had been cut off, and the remainder were to be dealt with 1 shortly. It was piobable that a conference of power boards would he*.d in Wellington shortly, before the board would meet again, - and the chairman a>nd ■ he had forwarded the following remits for discussion thereat:—(a) That, as under the present* ecalo of .charges adopted by the P.W.D., viz., £2 10s for the first 200 k.v.u.. per quarter, and' £2OO for all over that amount, the smaller power boards receive little or no advantage from the reduction, it be a 'recommendation from the conference that, an equitable adjustment be made in the scale of charges to meet such cases, (b) That an Electric Pcwer Board ba empowered at its discretion to transfer temporarily by 'resolution, any - sum or sums lrotn loan account to power fund account, all suoh transfers to be repaid within the same financial year.

The secretary went on to state that tho question of rating for the current . .year would require further consideration. A legal opinion had boen obtained as to the necessary steps to bo taken to define a separate rating area. He saw no reason why tho Board should not push through the matter of defining tbo special rating' area. The report -was adopted. ■ Mr H. L. Capes, the Board's electrician in Akaroa, . wrote resigning his position as he had received an appointment at the Manga- ■ hao power house. The resignation was, received with regret. The Board recorded, its appreciation of the services rendered,by Mr Capes. The chairman, Mr Armstrong i'nd tho engineer, were appointed a sub-committee : to fill the vacano'y. Mr C. E. Kay wrote stating tnat the following guarantees had been given, for five years, for the extension of little Stoney Bay line:—W. A. Boleyn £lB, .L. S. 'Wells £lB, Shuttleworth Bros. £ls, J. 3. Boleyn £ls, -H. J. McHale £ll>.

iThe New Zealand Power Boards' Association notified that the annual conference would be held shortly in Wellington. The chairman and the secretary were appointed debates from the Peninsula. Tho Public Works Department wrote acknowledging a communication from the Board and stating that under the Act, Power Boards were given authority to establish special funds by tho appropriation of any moneys standing to the credit of the Board s account, not earmarked for special purposts. It„ suggested the deferring the establishment of a depreciation fund until aftur the conference, when an amendment to the Actwould probably be considered. A long : discussion took placo on the proposal, to increase the lighting charges Irom 8d to lOd per unit, as from July Ist nes '- ■Mr Geo. Armstrong "s«id that he would have to oppose any such increase. Speaking as Mavor of Akaroa, he maintained tha.t when the Power Board took over the municipal plant, thero was a distinct understanding that Akaroa consumers would not be called on to pay increased rates. , , The chairman. said that -unfortunately tho estimate prepared for the Board, ot the oost of Teticulating the Peninsula, was fai below tho actual cost. Tho Board was compelled "to find moro revenue. _ Mr Chapman remarked that Akaroa ±sor ougli consumers were granted a minimum charge of only 5s per month, whilst outside the borough such charge was 7s «sa. In answer to questions, tho sccrcUrj pointed out that Akaroa consumers were get tin" a cheaper rate from the-Board-than wheu "they were under the old borough fiat

rate charge. The Board. Moreover, Lad spent .some £ISOO in putting the borough plant in order. The Council would have had. to face this expense had it still been running its own concern. In answer to further"qiiestions. tse engineer stated that the main . line was effecting a, saving that had not been anticipated. IE they got another 100 k.v.a. load the effect of the Aka.roa plant would be more pronounced. It would then save at Jeast £SOO a year instead of some £3OO cs at present. The secretary, in reply to the chairman, said the.capital value of the inner area, was approximately £1,200,000, and of the outer area, £728,000. A rate of about one farthing l in the £ would raise the £4300- required from the former, and me of l-100d in the £ in the latter-would raise £IOO. The Bilesmere Power Board had struck a rate of 1-Gd- in the £ last, year, and its lighti-ng rates was,Bd per. unit. ' ' Tlje secretary was empowered to proceed with the'defining of the rating area so as to'have all necessary information ready for the Briar d at' its special meeting next week. In a supplementary .report, the engineer detailed the interruptions caused by the succession of heavy gales aurng last Considering the nature of the) country, tho exposed position of many of <the lines crossing summits and ridges, and the tremendous strain , put upon the lines, they had stood the ordeal' remarkably well. As poles Vecame more firmly settled, and faulty insulatoi-3 were there would be IeBS 'trouble under similar -, trying circumstances in tho future. . ... ■