GREY POWER BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 March 1939, Page 4

GREY POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Grey Electric Power Board, held Inst evening, was attended by Messrs J. Smeaton (chairman), W. Fisher, W. JJ, Parfitt, ,1. Unwin, ,1. 11. Kent, A. M. Carroll, J. Muleare, A. 11. MeKane,

and W. Clayton. The Chairman extended a, welcome to the new secretary of the Board,.Mr W. G. McClymont, and assured him of the co-operation of all the members in carrying out their duties. In reply, Mr McClymont said that he felt, the co-operation of board members had already been assured by the cordial reception he had had from them. Accounts totalling C 2,962/3/10 were passed for payment. The Secretary to the Treasury wrote forwarding an extract from the New Zealand. Gazette of March 9, containing a copy of the Order-in-Coun-cil, consenting to the raising of the last. ;CS,(H)() of the Board’s 1!)3S Extension Loan of C 20,000. It was stated that, the loan was to he raised on the. usual terms, 31 per cent., for .25 years.

The Director of the South Island Travel Association wrote, asking the Board to contribute Cl2/10/-, being the half-cost of a page in "Discovery,” the annual bulletin on the South Island, issued by the Association. The letter was received, and it was decided ■that no action be taken in the matter. Letters were received from the Secretary of the Power Hoards’ Association, and from. Mr H. .1, Bishop, explaining that some sections of the Dominion Award, such as the clerical, administrative, and labourers', had been brought in, covering the whole ol New Zealand, and that other sections had been brought in as separate awards in the different, districts, but that these were all along the same lines, and would later be made into a. general award. If possible, the remaining sections would be dealt with as a Dominion award, and if not. then after the manner of the linesmen’s award. The Chairman reported that members of the Board had attended the demonstration of la,nd clearing and draining, near Westport, on Tuesday, and had come away well satisfied' with what they had seen. On the motion of the Chairman, it was'agreed to send a letter of appreciation a,nd thanks to Messrs Gough, Gough and Hamer, for the invitation to attend the demonstration.

IMPORT LICENSES. Tho Secretary of the Central "Waikato Electric Power Board wrote, asking the Board to support a motion passed by his Board urging the Government to remove the restrictions on British-ma.de electrical appliances and equipment, until such time as New Zealand manufacturers could supply the demand.

Mr Kent said lie considered the resolution of the Waikato Board was all about something that might happen. New Zealand wa.s able to manufacture electrical ranges quite as good as any in the world, and, moreover, there were several firms in the Dominion manufacturing them. Insulators were also being manufactured in New Zea-land,-and, if there were not sufficient, licenses to import would be obtainable. The same applied to other equipment and appliances. They would be imported, if they were wanted. The Chairman: So far as I know, no one has ever been hurt yet, and, therefore, it is no use supporting this resolution. There are no grounds for it. I agree with Mr Kent that the ranges manufactured in this country (are as good as the imported. Mr Carroll: Does the AVaikato Board .specify any goods that are not manufactured here? Mr Kent: They talk about something that may ha.ppen. The Chairman said he did not think j there would he any difficulty about getting licenses for goods that could not be made in New Zealand ami had to be imported. Mr Clayton: What about copper wire? The Chairman: There a,re no restrictions on it.

Mr Unwin said that, if one took ranges, piece by piece, there wits no doubt that, the Canadian ranges came out on top, but he felt sure that, if New Zealand manufacturers were given the opportunity, they would produce the goods. The workmen of New Zea.la.nd were as intelligent and as skilful as the workmen of other countries. In reply to a question, Mr S. AV. Trotter, the Board’s engineer, said that one New Zealand-made range had an English element, which apparently could not be made hero, but no restriction had been placed on the importation of this element. It was decided that the Waikato Board’s letter be received, and that no action be taken.

CONCRETE POLES. At the invitation of the Chairmanthe engineer gave a. brief report on the question of making concrete poles, a matter he had investigated during his recent holiday. Mr Trotter said that several power boards in the North Island were now making concrete poles, and in some areas nearly all the poles used were concrete. He thought that the Grey Board should consider the question of making such poles, a.s they could bo used on the flat country in any

part of the Board’s district. Good, strong poles could be made, and no special skill was required. The Board's own workmen could be employed on the job. They must, howover, use sharp crushed metal for binding. Ordinary shingle or gravel would not do. ..Care had also to be taken of the poles when they were lying flat, otherwise they were liable to crack. Judging from his investigations, costs varied a good deal, but this, he thought, was due io the fact that in some cases too much had been spent on plant and equipment. For instance, in one case, a. shed for making the poles in had been erected at I cost ol tlaOti, when an ordinary lean-to would have been sufficient. I I he greatest necessary expense wasl a. concrete mixer. A simple .and inex-l pensive derrick was till that was necessary for handling the poles. As for the pules themselves, the costliest t ' ingtedieni was the- steel, lie thought that, if the Board decided to make their own poles, they should he pre--1 tired io make a. considerable number at once, not just a few at a time.

.'dr Kent moved that tile Engineer should go into the question, and present another report to the Board. In reply to a. question. Mr Trotter said he thought it would be better for

the Board to make their own poles, rather than let a contract. The Chairman: I think we should compliment our engineer on the inquisitiveness he always displays when he goes on holiday. The motion was carried.

ENG INKER’S REPORT. The Engineer’s report for the period from February 22 to March 28 was as follows: — Power Supply: The returns for the linal quarter of this year will not be available until after March ill. The | Board’s supply is now being obtained from the general interconnected South Island system of the Public Works Department. Reticulation: The outside staff have been engaged on connecting new consumers, general maintenance, and the following work:—Extension to lowtension systems in Greymouth on the Joyce Estate; erection of new transformers at Taylorville, Nelson Creek, and Stillwater; dismantling work at Runanga and transferring low-tension mains to new pole line, and completion of work at the Hospital SubStation, The annual inspection of the I system has been, carried out by the Public Works Department. Consumers: Since last meeting 32 new applications for supply have been received, making the total to date 4,511. Thirty-two new consumers have been connected, and this brings the total number of consumers up to 1,537. Extensions and alterations to 76 existing installations ha.ve been carried out, and IS electric ranges, IS washing machines, and 28 radio sets, have been connected.

The connected load for (he period is:—Light, 15.620 k-w.; heat and irons. 34.600 k.w.; water heating. 10.000 k.w.; power, 159.75 h.p.; cooking. 50.5 k.w. Load at last meeting. 16,9.85 k.w. Load for month 260 k.w. Total 17 245 k.w. The report was adopted.