ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 63, 12 September 1938, Page 10

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

ENGINEERS CONFER

ATTENDANCE OF N.S.W. FOREST EXPERTS

Delegates from most parts of New Zealand attended the annual conference of the Electricity Supply Authority Engineers' Association of New Zealand, " which was opened by the Mayor (Mr. J T. C. A. Hislop) today. The president, - Mr. H. G. RKemp, of Ashburton, pre- ' sided. "It seems to me," said Mr. Hislop, 7 "that this conference of yours is one ; of the important conferences of "the L year that take place in Wellington. - j After all, we all know that there is . (no industry which has grown so rapidly and which goes so much into the homes of the people and affects the r people to such an ever-increasing ext tent as that in which you are engaged: . —the electrical industry. Its de- j velopment, even over the past few years, has been outstanding, and I have no doubt that in the next year or two even more changes beneficial to the '. whole community will be brought about." Change, continued Mr. Hislop, was the very essence of the electrical in- ' dustry, and those engaged in it should ' preserve the openness of mind that was so essential to progress. ' Mr. Hislop suggested that the delegates should visit the Evans Bay power station, where the new generating plant had exceeded the most sanguine hopes. Delegates should also take the j opportunity of inspecting the progress of the Centennial Exhibition, where the electrical industry would have one of the best of the displays. He thanked all those concerned in the industry for ; accepting the suggestion that they should make a combined display. Mr. Hislop welcomed, all the delegates and wished the conference every success. % .I-..'.-Thanks" were given to Mr. Hislop by Mr. J. A. Smith} vice-president of the association. HARDWOODS OF N.S.W. A welcome was extended by Mr. Kemp to members of a New South Wales forestry delegation, consisting of Mr. E. H. F. Swain, Commissioner of Forests for New South Wales, Mr. M. B. Welch, chief of the division of wood technology of the New South Wales Forestry Commission, Mr. R. A. Cook, chief timber inspector, Mr. P. J. Drew, former chief timber inspector, representing the New South Wales hardwood export industry, and Mr. E. L. Westbrook, timber economist of the New South Wales Forestry Commission. All but Mr. Westbrook attended the conference. Mr. Kemp said that some time would be spent in discussing- the question of hardwood poles with the delegation. "We are messengers from the forests of New South Wales where we grow the finest timbers in the world," replied Mr. Swain. "We have been \ commissioned to come over to see what we can do to be of some service to those who want tough timbers. . . . As long as you want us to grow concrete in our forests we will. We 'are proud of these timbers and jealous of their reputation. We believe that they are the finest hardwoods in the world and I think New Zealand will eventually discover them to be well worth getting. We would like to get some indication of wnat you want and for i how long." Mr. Kemp also welcomed Mr. J. Me-! < Dermott, chief telegraph engineer, and} '. Mr. McDonald, representatives of the Post and Telegraph Department, : Messrs. P. H. Gwynn, P. Spry, and J. M. Bishop, representing the Public Works Department, Mr. Q. R. Lovatt, of the Railway Department, Mr. J. Fleming, president of the Electrical ' Traders' Federation, and Lieutenant- ; Colonel K. G. Maxwell, of Manchester. "That the conference is of the opin- ; ion that the use of covered wire for ■ high-tension lines should now be re- \ considered in all its aspects," was a \ remit referred to the advisory committee. • ; Several technical subjects were dis- ' cussed. '