ELECTRICAL RETICULATION

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 2569, 26 April 1922, Page 3

ELECTRICAL RETICULATION

PROGRESS O FWOSK

Mr J. E .Templin, consulting engineer, presented the following report to the Springs-Ellesmcre Electric Power Board on Monday:

Current was turned on in the Springs county and at Leeston on the Bth inst. Since then the holidays have intervened and have broken into the work con- > siderably, but we have been endeavouring to connect up as many services as possible. At the present time there are 21 people connected in Leeston and 12 in Springs county, also 34 additional services are run in the latter district.1 I have given instructions that the consumers in the Springs county are given preference over all others in the board's area, as these were the .first to be wired up, and it is only right th.at their wants are looked after first. From the above you can see quite a. number of services arc now run in the Springs county and the meters arc being installed. In order to facilitate matters we are having one man instal meters while, the other man is testing. By doing this I-hope by the end of the week to have the majority. of the consumers in the Springs county ■ connected. There are still two or three transformers to be installed in this area. It is estimated that it will take another I two or three weeks to complete all the long services and get every consumer connected up in this district. The main line gang this week will be installing service connexions in Leeston, and at beginning of next; week they must start the line work towards Southbridge. After the men working in the Springs district have finished service work, I advise starting them on the Lake road and running the line to Coe's , Ford, so as to connect up all the people on this line. lam well aware of the fact that thth members of your board and myself will have pressure brought on us from all quarters endeavouring to have the lines run here and there; this is< inevitable, and unless the Board makes a firm stand the staff and organisation will be completely disorganised.

Therefore, it is imperative that we adopt a definite course of action. We are taking on more men this week, in order to push the work along as quickly as' possible.

One of the greatest difficulties we are having in connexion with the construction work is the camping and catering for the men. The methods that we are using at the present time I am satisfied are not the best, as there is too much waste time in going to and from camp, and the camps arc-not mobile enough. I have given ideas for portable camps to some firms in Christchurch, and hopo to have designs this week. Will you please give the Works Committee instructions to go into this matter, with power to act. The idea which I have in itiiiul is to have camps lightly constructed so that they can be drawn by the motor truck and kept very close to the centra q2 the work. I feel that we ate

justified in spending considerable money In equipment of this nature, as by so doing avc can keep the men working to better -advantage, and will make a great sayiug in the cost of construction. I am advised by the resident engineer that the pole contractor has been laying the,polos out promiscuously, and as yet has not definitely completed any of tho lines. There are a considerable number of poles to hand, and he should be notified to complete the routes on which, he has already started before laying poles on any other roads. Kindly note that beginning with next board meeting, all construction work that has been done during the last month will be reported on. by the resident engineer. There are several matters connected with the enlargement of your Power Board district which should be discussed at this board meeting, but I think it best that these matters are brought up directly with your board instead of dealing with the subject in this report.