POWER BOARD.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19643, 12 June 1929, Page 3

POWER BOARD.

SPRINGS-ELLESMERE. The monthly meeting o£ the SpringsEllesmere Electric Power Board was held at Leeston 011 Monday, when there -were present: Messrs H. Neave (chairman), A. E. Langdale Hunt, G. Maginness, E. H. Rowel!, and K. T. McMillan. The esse was mentioned of a large consumer whose plant had been working intermittently, but whose load was being taken at peak times, resulting: in heavy loss to the Board. It was agreed that the engineer should present a report at the next meeting setting out the position with regard to tria large consumers. The engineer reported that seven new consumers had been added to the mains. Ine sales of current for last month had totalled £IBBB 18s 4d (lighting £1137 15s 6d, heatin* £292 19s lOd, power £458 3s), as against £lsOl 19s Hd for May, 1923. The; number of units sold this year was 166,90~. as against 83,532 last year. The in load for the month amounted to 15. < -4 JtuoWa liter consideration of the financial tion, it was decided to pay a sum of _ouu to the depreciation reserve. The chairman said it would be necessary to pay a total oi £I6OO to the reserve this financial year. The engineer said that various extensions ■were held up until a consignment of steel poles ordered came to hand. They were duo in Auckland on June 18th. It was ®KT?®cl that the engineer should study the question of future requirements in regard to numbers and sizes of poles, so that the placing of a further order could be considered at the next meeting. The financial statement gave the credit balances as follows: Power fund. 4s lOd; No. 3 loan, £676 Os 2d; fco. 3 loan, £4329 10a lOd. . . . M Further correspondence was received from the Railway Department with regard to an account sent for a line erected to serve a railway house near Dunsandel. The raent declined to pay the amount, £-6 lis 6d. The engineer said he had erected the line at the request of an officer of aie Department, made by telephone, who had guaranteed the cost. It was decided to place the facts before Mr D. Jones. H.P., and seek his assistanco ia securing justice from the uer partment. Drewery objecting to being called upon to pay for a meter destroyed when his house at Sprmgston was burned The engineer said it was the Board s pract!c» to collect from consumers the ra.ue o! meters destroyed. The Board decided to consider the matter at its next meeting, and lav down a rule for the future. "Mr Maginness was appointed to represent the Board at the Eleetrie Supply Authorities' Conference to be held in Wellington shortly. Mr James Burgess, of Dunsandel, complained that he had been charged for current for battery charging at lighting rates, and askad for a reduction in the amount of his account. The engineer said that the previous owner had infringed the regulations by running a flexible from his house to the garage, but since then Mr Burgess had had a power line run to his garage by the Board. It was agreed that further information should be obtained with a view to deciding whether action should be taken against the previous owner of the premises. Members agreed to make an inspection of all the transmission Use* ia the Board'* dietrie* e* ?bTß»fe9b 20th, ft* ttUsrary

being left to the chairman, Mr McMillan, and the engineer to arrange. Tbe inspection was considered desirable in order that members could form some idea of the prospects in regard to future extensions. The view wa« expressed that if there was to be any great development in the matter of new lines it would probably be necessary to seek authority to raise further loan money. In regard to the prizes given to the Ellesmere A. and P. Association for displays of electrical cooking at the Ellesmere Show, Mr Maginness said that last year the classes wero open to allcomers, whether residents of the Springs-EHesmere power district or not. He was not opposed to having the classes open if those in other districts were not confined, but unless competition at other shows was open, the classes at EUecmere Show should be restricted to the district. Mr Rowell again raised the question of the Board's supplying current to residents of the Lincoln district whose properties sre in the area where the Tai Tapu Dairy Company distributes electricity. The Lincoln residents, he said, were anxious to obtain their current from the Board. He did not think the Board should have to wait until the company's contract with the Public Works Department expired in 1955. He considered that the Board could enter the company's area, erect lines, and supply current to any consumers who desired to take it. He had been approached by a number of Lincoln residents who were being called upon to pay much higher rates than were paid by those supplied by the Power Board. It was agreed that Mr Bowell should secure definite information and report to the Board at its next meeting.