MID-CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21296, 16 October 1934, Page 6

MID-CANTERBURY

ASHBURTON POWER BOARD At the monthly meeting of the Power Board held yesterday there were present Messrs E. F. Nicoll (chairman), H. J. Crothers, H. C. Barton, J. Carr, W. H. Woods, J. W. M. Dart, W. H. Rundle, H. Morris, J. Lambie, R, J. Mulligan, and W. Bryant. The financial statement showed that the revenue lor September was £4362 4s 4d, an increase of £B3 15s 9d on the revenue for the same month last year. The revenue for the last six months was £24,044 6s sd, an increase of £.477 13s 4d on the revenue for the corresponding six months of the previous year. The report of the erfgineer-secretary (Mr H. G. Kemp) stated that 69 defective bluegum poles were replaced with ironbark during the month as follows: —Coldstream 15, Winslow and Rakaia 11 each Ashburton 8, Longbeach and Hinds 5 each, Sprott's line and! Ashburton Forks 4 each, Tinwald 3, Waterton, Sherwood, and Lagmhor 1 each. The overhaul of Sprott s line and services had been completed, and the main Coldstream line had been completed from the end back to the Coldstream homestead. Pole deliveries had been regular. A storm on September 30 brought down nine poles, of which four had been replaced to date. A former consumer at Rakaia was connected, involving an extension of six poles. Part of Longbeach Estate, which had been supplied previously by the private plant, was brought into the board's supply direct, and three poles were required in the services. Ten poles were erected to supply the tractor on Mr G. Ruddenklau's farm, only sufficient being erected to supply immediate needs. A number of hew services were erected, involving the use of one iron rail, and a number of alterations were required in East street on account of the construction of the new telephone line. The report of the running engineer

(Mr A. T. Saunders) stated that 512,000 units were supplied from Lake Coleridge, and 34 from the board's Diesel plant during the month. The maximum demand on the station was 15(10 k.v.a. on September 5, and the maximum demand for the quarter ending September was 1640 k.v.a; on July 2. All the pumps were in good working order, and all the cars were in good running order. The inspector (Mr W. G. Welsh) reported that the installation department had been kept fully occupied during the month, the most important work being the change over of the Longbeach estate from their own hydro plant to the board's supply. The change-over had meant the dismantling of wiring that had been in use for a great number of years. It may be of interest to know that they had connected to the board's supply an electric incubator capable of dealing with 5500 eggs, and it had been working very satisfactorily. The power used was approximately 2 k.w. Owing to pressure of other work the retest work was not carried on during the last month, but several faults thai were in need of attention were dea.ll with. There had been connected during the month three ranges, two water heaters, nine motors, 20 meters, anc nine consumers.

The Local Government Loans Board wrote advising that it had sanctioned the Ashburton board's application to raise a renewal loan of £3550. The term of the loan was 26 years, with a sinking fund of 2£ per cent., which would enable the loan to be repaid if the sinking fund investments earned an average of 4 per cent. Even if the average rate was less than 4 per i cent, the Ashburton board would no ; doubt be able to make increased payi ments to the sinking fund in good years to offset a lower interest yield oh sinking fund investments. It would be preferable if the board arranged the renewal loan on a table basis. The Treasury Department wrote that an amending prder-in-council would be recommended to enable the board to raise the loan as. desired. The method proposed by the' Ashburton board was a decided improvement on the ordinary flat sinking fund loan. Mr Kemp' reported having replied suggesting that redemption of the loan be made as follows:—l 939, £400; 1944, £550; 1949 £700; 1954, £800; 1960, £ll6O. The sinking fund required under the sanction was £79 17s 6d a year, and the redemptions could be handled satisfactorily with an annual payment of £BO plus 4 per cent, on redemptions. It was decided to raise the loan at the rate of 3£ per cent, interest, with sinking fund at 2£ per cent. Personal

Before his departure for Timaru to take over the managership of Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., Mr W. A. Fleming was met by the firm's Ashburton staff and was presented with a leather suit-case and set of crystal goblets by Mr F. L. Smith, who expressed the best wishes of the staff for Mr Fleming's success and happiness at Timaru. The Ven. Archdeacon. A. J. Petrie (Ashburton) and the Revs. D. Rankin (Tinwald), B. Taylor fHinds), E. A. Osmers (Methven), A. H. Barnett (Rakaia), and T. W. Williams (Mount Somers), left yesterday to attend the annual Christchurch Diocesan Synod. Lay representatives of the various parishes are Messrs L. A. Charles and J. Cook (Ashburton), J. H. Grigg (Tinwald), C. Jaine (Hinds), C. J. Ronaldson (Methven), W. L. Harrison (Rakaia), and W. C. J. Osman (Mount Somers). At a social function held by St. Stephen's Basketball Club on Saturday, Mrs Fleming (president) was presented with a jug and vase by Lady Nosworthy on behalf of the members. Fishing Fishing conditions during the weekend were again disappointing to Ashburton anglers, because of the dirty state of the rivers. Following the| heavy rain and north-west weather conditions in the back country, the Rangitata, Ashburton, and Rakaia rivers rose quickly on Saturday afternoon, and were soon too discoloured for fishing; Early in the day, three fish were taken at the mouth of the Rangitata river, the heaviest being SAlb. Unemployed Allocation A total of 461 men are registered as eligible for unemployed relief work at Ashburton this week. The number of men in each class, together with the work allocated to each class, is as follows:—A class, 36 men, allocated one day's work; B class, 268, allocated two and a half and three days' work; C class, 157, allocated four days' work.