OTAGO POWER BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 19023, 19 August 1925, Page 11

OTAGO POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING HELD Mr Jasper Clark presided at the monthly . meeting yesterday of the Otago Power Board. Also present were Messrs H. M. Driver, P. Briscoe, F. Carson, 11. Stewart, and W. B, Callaway. Replying to a resolution forwarded by the board urging the Government to undertake the lighting by electricity of all railway stations in the dominion, the Minister of Railways stated that a comprehensive programme of electric lighting had been drawn up embracing all railway stations and departmental dwellings where current was available. There were no fewer than 261 railway stations and 890 houses now on the list, and others were being added as current became available in the various localities. It would thus bo soon that the department was faced with a heavy expenditure in carrying out the lighting programme, and, as the amount available was limited, the work must necessarily he spread over a number of years. The Engineer-manager (Mr A. P. Aldridge) reported that he had attended the conferences at Wellington called bv the Power Boards’ Association for "the purpose of discussing remits submitted'by the various power boards in the dominion. ■ The engineers’ conference was attended _ by ttfty-two engineers representing various supply authorities throughout the dominion, and dealt with several engineering matters affecting supply authorities generally. The most important business handled by this conference was the draft of the proposed new regulations to be issued by the Public Works Department. This embodied several alterations which, if carried into effect, would seriously affect all supply authorities operating in the dominion. These applied more particularly to the regulations for v installations on consumers’ premises, and placed on the licensee considerable responsibility, which the conference considered was not equitable. The draft, as submitted, was commented upon in the presence of engineers representing the Public Works Department, the Post and Telegraph Department, and the Railway Department, and several alterations and deletions were submitted to these authorities as representing what the supply authorities considered should be adopted. The conference generally was of opinion that some considerable notice would he taken of the suggested alterations, and that supply authorities generally would benefit as a direct result of the conference.

The power boards’ conference held on the Wednesday considered a report from the engineers’ conference, and adopted the recommendations contained therein. On the whole, the conference was a great success, and for the first time in his experience justified the calling together of the boards’ representatives. The writer added that while in Auckland he inspected the suction gas plant owned _ by the Tamaki West Road Board, which is at present for sale, this board having agreed to purchase power in bulk from the Auckland Electrical P.ower Board. The plant was in every way satisfactory for requirements at Palmerston, and with n view to recommending the purchase of this, he called upon the Public Works Department in order to ascertain its attitude towards the installation of a standby or peak-reducing plant in this district. He found the department unwilling to agree to the establishment of these plants, and had therefore not gone any further with the matter. ■

■ The transport equipment owned and operated by the board was running satisfactorily, with the exception of a few minor breakages. Finality had not yet been reached with regard to the city agreement, owing to the fact that the city had not yet submitted authentic figures showTffg" its capital cost at Waipori, in Bruce County, and in the Borough of Milton. Mr Callan had advised that he had made formal application to the city for these figures, and suggested that the board depute two or more of its members to complete this agreement as soon as the final draft wAs submitted by the city, Mr Denford and himself had looked over the books of the corporation, but full particulars were not available at the time of their inspection, and no guarantee was given by the city that the figures submitted were final.

The report was adopted. In his progress report, the Engineermanager stated that a start would be made with the wiring of the Balclutha Borough during the coming week, the bad weather having interfered with prosecution of this work previously. There were two gangs employed in the northern end, one in Palmerston (seven menl, and one in Waikouaiti (six men), the total number of poles erected to date in Palmerston being' 210 and in Waikouaiti fifty-eight. The total number of men employed on construction work was thirty-five.