HUTT VALLEY POWER BOARD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 34, 8 August 1925, Page 9

HUTT VALLEY POWER BOARD

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING

The fortnightly meeting of the Hutt Valley Power Board was held yesterday. Present: Messrs. J. W. M'Ewan (chairman), A. J. Hobbs, D. Bews, H. Foley, W. H. P. Barber, G. Lawrence, E. Windley, H. Jay, A. Walter, and A. W. Press.

The Hutt County Council granted the board permission to stack poles on a reserve at Mangaroa.

Mr. B. G. Watkins, Horokiwi, claimed the sum of £40 for loss of time caused by his cattle straying allegedly owing to the board damaging his fence, also for damage done to his private road. The miftter was referred to the engineer.

The headmaster' of the Eastern Hutt School was granted permission to erect on the board's poles signs supplied by the Automobile Club, provided the local authority approves. Further correspondence was received from Mr. G. Mitchell regarding alleged damage to property by the board's operations. It was decided to adhere to the previous decision not to acknowledge any claim.

It was decided to take no action in regard to a renewed claim for damages made by the estate of J. Murray, deceased.

A claim for damages was received from Mrs. Macfarlane, of Johnsonville. The damage was alleged to have been caused through' claimant falling over a pole lying on the road. The secretary reported that inquiries were being made and the matter was held over.

It was decided to advertise the fact that the board's only representatives were Messrs. Taylor, Doyle, and Dalton.

The board decided to alter the present board-room to make it suitable for a showroom, and alter an upstairs room for a board-room.

The Technical Committee was requested to report upon the question of holding cooking demonstrations. The engineer (Mr. Toogood) reported that the pole erection at Johnsonville was almost completed. The gang would complete poleing at Normandale this week, and would then transfer to Mangaroa. Completion of the Tawa Flat and Johnsonville line was being held up pending a decision by the Kailway Department. The connected load to date was: Light 1177 k.w., heat 3212 k.w., and power 1468 k.w. Up to the end of July 44 electric stove* had been connected.

The executive committee reported that until such time as the staff was on a more permanent basis it had no recommendation to make regarding the proposed Employees' Benefit Society, but in the meantime investigation* would be made with a view to bringing down a scheme to afford assistance to permanent • employees. The committee recommended that consumers who were paying for their installations by instalments, and who were two instalments in arrear, be given, seven days' notice to make payments, and if the amountswere not then paid the Bervice be cut off. Further, that if meW deposits were not paid the current be cut off.

The inspector (Mr., A. Tajylor) reported that 266 installations had been .tested during July. The total tested up to date was 2358. Two hundred .and fifty-one- consumers had been added during the month. Eight electric ranges had been installed. The : meter erector' was now engaged at Plimmerton. Testing and inspecting installations was now up to date: ■■ • '