GREY POWER BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 March 1935, Page 3

GREY POWER BOARD

LAST EVENING’S MEETING

Present at last evening's meeting of the Grey Electric Power Board were: Messrs W. Clayton (Chaiiman), J. Smeaton, J. B. Kent, H. G. Carter, H. Duggan, F. L. Turley and W. H. 1 arfitt. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. W. Greenslade, and J. Mulcare. The Under-Secretary, Internal Alfairs Department advised that the representation of the Greymouth borough on the Board would be four members, in lieu of three previous, the extra member being duo to the amalgamation of the Cobden Town District with the Borough of Greymouth. ENGINEER’S REPORT. \ . The Engineer (Mr S. Trotter) reported for the period February 19, to March 19, inclusive, as follows: Arnold River Generating Station---The. units generated and maximum demands were as follows: Week ending 17/2/35, K.W.H. generated 158,550; maximum demand 1440; week ending 24/2/35 143,950—1422; week ending 3/3/35 141.650 —1350; week ending 10/3/35, 147,080—1494; week ending 17/3/35, 147.540—1494; total units for five weeks 738,770. The highest weekly load factor was 65.5 per cent, and the lowest 58.7 per cent. Mr R. Sullivan is at present off duty, having undergone a surgical operation. He is now making a good recovery. Reticulation. The outside staff have been engaged on general maintenance of overhead lines and connecting new consumers. During the wet weather an extensive slip near Kennedy and Party’s mine in Rewamii Valley car ried away three spans on high and low tension line. The recent thunder storms have been responsible for blowing high tension fuses in some country areas, but no extensive damage has been caused anywhere and no serious interruptions have taken place. The line to the new sawmill at Nelson Creek is completed and the mill is using power. Twelve poles have been erected at the commencement of the Waiuta transmission line to give a new mining consumer supply, the remainder of the route through Blackwater to the Prohibition Shaft at Waiuta has been pegged and the work of erection can proceed as soon as the materials are available. Consumers—Since last meeting 20 new applications for supply have been received, making the total to date 3234; 13 new consumers have been connected and bring:; the total number of consumrrs up to 3186, Extensions and alterations to 27 existing’installations have been effected. Three radio sets and three electric ranges have been installed. The connected load for the period is: Light, present 5.295 k.w., previous 1236.040 k.w., total 1241.335 k.w. Heat and 1r0n.—13.0—2627.980. total 2610.980 k.w. Power. 165.75—5569 70, total 5735.45 h.p. Cooking, 16.50 —1730.15, total 1746.95 k.w. Total load for period 160 k.w. Total load al lasi meeting 9713 k.w. Grand total 9873 k.w. The report was adopted.

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

The Chairman (Mr W. Clayton) reported: Your Committee met on Tuesday. March 19. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs Mulcare and Greenslade. Victorian Loans.—It

is recommended that on receipt of so-

Heitor’s opinion, that the T. and G. Mutual Society be notified of the Board’s intention to reduce its interst to five percent. Barry town Gold Dredging Coy.- -It is recommended this matter be Ic-i’t in the hands ol the Chairman, Secretary and Engineer to finalise arrangements. Secretary’s Report. —It is recommended that this report be received and adopted. It is recommended that accounts amounting to £1783 8/2 be passed for payment. Sinking Funds.—lt is recommended that sinking funds be established for the £BOOO, £ll,OOO and £16,000 loans with the Public Trustee as Commissioner and that the appointments be made irrevocable. Pole Contract.—lt is recommended that the question ol making the nest arrangements possible with regard to Ihe polo contract he left in hands of, the Chairman. Engineer and Secretary. Rotomanu Reticulation. —'rhe Chairman of the Committee reported on the action that had been taken with regard to the reticulation of Rotomanu and the result of the Board's investigations in the matter. It is recommended that the Chairman and Secretary be instructed to proceed to Wellington to interview the Loans Board with a view to obtaining sanction for the raising of the money to proceed with the work. Guarantee Lines, Rewanui.—Recommended that the question of guarantee on the Rewanui line be left in the hands of the Chairman, Secretary and Engineer. Cash Book Balance. —It is reported for your information that the balances are as follows—The following is the balance at February 28: Receipts: February I. T. 99 I balance 28/2/35, £BlB3 10 10; by balance 31 .1 35 £ll2 5/3; payments—capital £857 15/7; revenue £1282 1 1/-; total £2140 6/7. The balance to date is as follows—Receipts 18/3/35 £1342 4/-; balance £8795 8/11. The estimated account ai March 31 is as follows: Estimated accounts £1300; balance £6641 10/2; by balance £7453 4/11; by payments £4BB 5/3; total £7941 10/2. Thus the estimated overdraft a’t March 31, 1935, is £6641 10/2. Revenue.—Revenue to January 31 as read during February is £29,88.8 8/4 against the estimate figure of £29,964, a deficiency of £76 on that estimated. Next reading should produce between £2500 and £3OOO in which case the revenue for the year will be between £32.000 and £33,000. Conversion. —Applications for conversion have come in steadily, £164,95(1 having been received. There remains outstanding £24,000. Staff.— Air .1, Finlay has returned to duly.

M EMEERS' DISCUSS lON

’file Chairman stated that the Engineer. secretary ami speaker had gone thoroughly into the matter of reticulating Roiomanu district, and the estimate arrived at was fairly liberal. The revenue from the district would approximate .£895. The cost to put the line in would be £9oob. and the deficiency io be met by the Board would be about £7OO per annum. The Loans Board required IS per cent., for the loan in that district, it was the dtsire of the Board to reticulate ail its area, and not have any without the advantages of the electric power. It was proposed to place the position before the Loans Board. The revenue to be derived would be about ten per cent, of the eighteen, leaving eight per cent, of a deficit. Possibly, under the circumstances, the Loans Board might allow the area to be reticulated at the reduced guarantee. Mr Carter stated that the Board was

doing its hest and was anxious to reticulate the area. Board members were aware that settlers in the Rotomanu district had shown a little resentment, and the present effort, by the Board would show that it was doing all possible to get the power to Rotomanu. He hope the Loans Board would favourably consider the matter. Mr Kent said that if all the facts were placed before the Loans Board, he considered it would meet the position, as this was a special case. The report was adopted. The Chairman mentioned that the Board’s staff had taken the line through to Nelson Creek, and had effected a saving of £75, on the contract price, so that the Board did not do any harm in carrying out the work itself.

The Chairman stated that there had been one or two complaints received, in regard to the reading of meters in the country district, to Ikamatua. Owing to the cost of having meters read in sparsely populated districts, the Board had decided to have meters read once in every two months. The meter readers were to have told the consumers about the change, but apparently some had not been told, and did not understand the position. Now it had been arranged that consumers iu such districts should be charged a certain amount, by way of an estimate each month. The amount paid would be credited when the meter was read. It had been suggested that the meters in the Ikamatua district be read only once in every three months, but (lie Board had not decided on that. He hoped that the consumers would realise the expense of sending a man out to read meters in such a district, and would fall into line with the Board’s action. They would not be paying any extra.