GREY POWER BOARD

Grey River Argus, 22 March 1928, Page 3

GREY POWER BOARD

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Grey Electric Power Board was held last evening at the Board’s office, there being present: Messrs J. W. Greenslade (Chairman), J. B. Kent, J. Smeaton, J. O’Brien, W. Clayton, 11. Duggan. (’. Uddstrom and J. Mulcarc. 3hp outward correspondence included a letter to Messrs Vickerman and Lancaster, consulting engineers, asking for a further report on hydro schemes. Air Uddstrom asked had any reply been received, and the Secretary (Mr McDonald) replied that Mr Lancaster had advised that Mr Vickerman, who did the outdoor work of the firm, was at present on a visit to the Sounds, but would reach Greymouth by March 28th. Mr Uddstrom said that the present was the most suitable time there could be for a report to be obtained. MINIMUM GUARANTEES. A letter was read from the Kaiata Ratepayers’ Association referring to the minimum monthly guarantee charged in their district. It was stated that the late Engineer. Mr Lythgoe, had definitely promised them that the minimum payment required from Kaiata consumers would be 4s, whereas the Board was now charging as a minimum 10s monthly. For this the Association

could find no valid reason, and therefore it asked the Board to make the necessary readjustment to comply with the promise of a 4s minimum charge. There were five signatures appended to the letter.

The Chairman said that this matter could presently be reviewed, as they had a resolution on the books providing for a review of the minimum guarantees generally, after March 31st next. There had been some cutting off, but the Board had to guard against loss, lie asked the Secretary to submit a report prepared on this matter. The report stated that the minimum guarantees were as follows in the places mentioned: Kaiata 10s per month, Stillwater Gs, Coal Creek (two areas) 12s Gd, Karoro Gs, Camerons Bs, Boddytown 10s! At Camerons, Karoro ami Stillwater, however, they had connections with the supply sufficient for a reduction of the guarantee to the minimum of 8s per month. It was estimated that if the guarantee of the three other places mentioned were reduced to 4s it would entail an annual loss of £52 10s, with the present number of connections, comprising a monthly loss of £1 4s at Kaiata. £2 15s Gd at Coal Creek and 18s at Boddytown. Mr Smeaton said he had had a complaint from Stillwater against • the minimum being Gs, in view of the fact that the- consumers were told it would be 4s. Jlr Kent said the Omoto people were assured by Mr Lythgoe that the minimum guarantee required monthly from each consumer would be 4s, and on the strength of this some residents linked up at once, but the imposition of a 10s minimum had certainly prevented others from becoming consumers. The Chairman said they could deal with this matter, as already resolved, after March 31st. Mr Kent said they had the report already before them, and it was time the resolution wore given effect. Mr Clayton said that it might be better to put all consumers on the same footing, instead of losing consumers. The Chairman said that a lot had certainly signed up at 4s. Mr Duggan said they all should be placed on the same footing of 4s minimum. Then it did not pay to take the electricity to a new place, but the Board need not go there. Mr‘Uddstrom said that surely the consumers generally in these places used more than 4s worth of electricity monthly, so the minimum did not greatly affect them. ' Mr Kent said the question was who would link up in places where they wanted a higher minimum than 4s. The Chairman said that they certainly would need to be careful io make the. installation anywhere payable. They could not go on supplying at a Mr O’Brien said that all of the Boards in the Dominion had adopted the principle of requiring guarantees to avert loss in particular places, and the Board could not depart entirely from that principle, because it would mean in future putting up new lines at a

Mr Kent said Boards generally did not seek guarantees from low-tension consumers, and in a rising community the position was promising. Mr Duggan moved to reduce the minimum charge to 4s monthly at the several places where it remained above that figure. Mr Kent seconded the motion. Mr Mulcare said the people of Paparoa were keen to secure electricity, and should they carry the motion, he supposed there would be nothing to stop the Paparoa people from obtaining a 4s minimum also. The Chairman said the Paparoa people had been given no assurance of the light at a 4s minimum. It was different when they were raising the loan, as the same terms could not be offered now. Mr Mulcarc said that country communities had been guided by the Engineer’s signed contract. Mr Uddstrom asked whether if the minimum were, not used, the consumers would have to pay the guarantee. The Secretary said that in the case of the three districts concerned in the motion, they might pay £52 10s more than the value of the electricity used. Mr Smeaton said that quite a number would not have linked up if theminimum had been expected to be as high as it was in these places. The resolution for a reduction to 4s

at Kaiata, Coal Creek and oddytown was carried. CANVASS OF CONSUMERS. A report was submitted on the work of the canvasser (Mr O’Reilly), stating that since the last report in this regard the further houses canvassed brought up the total to 351. The number of further houses not connected that had been visited was 218, of which 195 were using gas, and 23 were using kerosene. Of the 218 householders, 170 stated that they would not become consumers of electricity, whilst 48 stated that they eventually would become consumers. Of the 170 who had refused, 89 were owners of their houses, and 81 were tenants. There were 81 of these owners using gas, and 6G of the tenants used gas, while two of the owners and 11 of the tenants used kerosene. Of the 48 who stated they would become consumers, 38 wore owners and 10 were tenants. From among those previously canvassed, there had since been 14 applications for a supply, making the total of such applications from houses canvassed 24. Mr Mulcare asked if the canvassing were found profitable for the Board. The Chairman said the canvassing was done in the spare time of the canvasser, who also was engaged on other duties. He said that at most three hours a day was devoted by Mr O’Reilly to canvassing, ami ho thought it was profitable for the Board. NELSON CREEK EXTENSION. Mr Mulcarc said that when it was convenient there should also be a canvass made in the country districts. The (’hairman said Mr Mulcare had also spoken of extending the service to Nelson Creek, and had asked the approximate cost. The Engineer could give information on that point. The Acting Engineer said the approximate cost of extending the transmission line from Ngahere to Nelson Creek would be £lBOO. There were 25 houses at Nelson Creek, of which 20 would be -probable consumers, whilst five of the houses were small, and would not be likely to link up. The revenue estimate was £360 per year, equal to 30s per consumer per month. To take the service further to the Forest Mill would cost £l5O, and there were at the Mill nine houses and six huts, whilst the Mill had recently installed two new steam boilers. Mr Mulcarc said that Mr W. Fisher, Nelson Creek, had spoken to him as to extending the line to the Forest Mill, and that was why he had inquired on that point. The Mill itself would take a small quantity of power, and he would suggest that the matter should be further investigated, by reference to Mr Fisher and the Forest Mill Proprietary. Mr Fisher had informed him that a guarantee would have been forthcoming earlier for light and power. Nelson Creek would offer a guarantee, and Mr Fisher would take some power. He moved that the Engineer submit a report as to the cost of a line to the Forest Mill from Ngahere, and as to the revenue prospects. Mr Clayton seconded the motion,

which was carried. ACTING ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Acting Engineer, Mr R. Langbciii; reported as follows, for the period from IGth February to 21st March. 1928:—

Progress of Work.—During the above period the outside gang have been engaged connecting new consumers and doing routine work in connection with reticulation ami maintenance of street lighting. A single phase substation of 10 k.v.a. capacity has been erected to improve supply for South Beach consumers.

Consumers. —During the period 45 applications were received for supply, making the present total 1465. Fortyfour consumers have been connected, the total now taking supply being 1429. Extensions and alterations to existing installations number 21. Six temporary installations wore connected for Jubilee Week.

The total connected load for the month is:—Light 14 kw, heat and irons 20 kw, water heaters 5 kw, cooking 30 kw (4 ranges, 3 grillers). The totals to date are: —Light 489 kw, heat and irons 609 kw, power 1624 h.p., water heaters 24. 2kw, cooking 1)4.4 kw. The total connected load as at March 21st was 2434 kw.

Power House.—The highest halfhourly peak for the six weeks ended 17th March was 730 kw, and occurred on Ist March at 8.30 and 9 a.m. Units generated for period totalled 297,510, the load factor was 40,4 per cent., and the lowest weekly load factor was 36.9 per cent.

On 20th February, at 1.50 p.m., the 100 k.v.a. station service transformer developed a fault and broke down, the plant being run non-condensing until replacement was made. Dobson Mine and the Dispatch Foundry were asked to reduce their loads to a minimum until 3.10 p.m. 4 when the station staff, with two men kindly loaned by Dobson Mine to work the grates, were able to hold the load until the new’ transformer was in commission at 11.30 p.m. To prevent a. recurrence of this trouble, a spare 100 k.v.a. transformer is to be kept at the Power Station.

Contracts. —No. 34—Meters. —Twen-ty-five 10 amp meters have been supplied from stock, and are at present being tested. No.' 35—Pole Line (to the Seven Mile). —The contractors commenced the erection of poles on 20th February, and completed contract on 9th March. No. 3G —Transformers. — One 100 k.v.a. and two 15 k.v.a. transformers have been delivered, and are being dried out preparatory to their installation.

Jubilee.—The electrical decorations for the Jubilee were erected by the outside gang and taken down when the Celebrations ended. The frame for the lorry in the procession on Jubilee Day was built at the store, the decorations being kindly carried out by the Sisters of Mercy, with material supplied by the Board.

Hydro.—The gauges placed at Kaimata and Aratika, on the Arnold River, have been read, regularly., the water

level at present being two inches above lowest level observed. The level of Lake Brunner is at present about nine inches above lowest level recorded. A gauge has also been placed at Lake Hochstctter. The level of the lake has been falling since the 10th February, 1928, when it was first observed. The report was adopted, and motions were passed that the staff be congratulated on their work in connection with the lighting and illuminations during Jubilee Week, and that a letter of thanks be forwarded to the Greymouth Convent in recognition of the excellent decorations provided for the Board’s display in th c Jubilee procession. GENERAL. A letter was read from the Government Statistician asking if a copy of the Local Authorities Handbook for 1928 would be required for each Board member. The Secretary stated the cost would be moderate, and the year’s operations of the Power Boards were given. On the motion of Mr O’Brien and the Chairman, it was decided to obtain copies for each member. The Lake Brunner Rifle Club asked permission to erect a telephone line, and on its being stated that there was no danger of any interference with the Board’s lines in future, thc request was granted, on the motion of Mr Smeaton. Mr Kent asked if there had yet been any measurement of the water supply at Kumara of the North Westland Power Company. The Chairman said nothing had yet been done. Mr O’Brien said the Board had decided that the Engineer obtain a measurement of Hie waters available at Kumara. Certainly, before the Board could do any business with the Westland Board, it must ascertain if there would be power available, and without such assurance they would have to look elsewhere. Mr Mulcare said the Westland Board could give them a financial guarantee. The Chairman said that they required to prove the bona tides of the Kumara proposition in this regard. If an investigation could not be made by their own Engineer, this Board could do no business in the matter. He moved that Mr J. S. Langford be asked if he is willing to allow’ this Board’s Engineer, during the present suitable dry weather period, to investigate the water supply of Mr Langford’s Company. Mr Uddstrom said this -was the ideal tim n for such an investigation, and rain might come any day, so it ought to be made next day. Mr Mulcare seconded the motion, which was carried, and it was also decided that Mr Langbein should to-day communicate with Mr LangfordMr O’Brien inquired if there were complaints as to defective meters. He had had some at Runanga, one meter creeping up too high, and another being too low in its register. The variation was from 17s Gd to ss, whereas the quantities used were about the same. The Engineer said the meters had about 2000 revolutions per minute. All inaccurate ones were readjusted at once on application from the consumers. All were tested at Runanga, and only one j or two were inaccurate to the extent of 110 per cent. The Chairman said anyone could have a test made on application. Regarding a matter mentioned by Mr Uddstrom as to a Cobden resident ’s objection to a pole being erected in front of a residence, the Acting Engineer sail that this objection had been removed by moving the site of the pole a few feet. Mr Mulcare asked what was being done to provide street lighting for Blackball, -where there was a desire for it. The Secretary said he understood that on account of the County Council attitude, thc proposal had droppedMr Mulcare said the residents would be quite willing to provide thc guarantees. Mr Kent mentioned that as there was a deficit over the Jubilee Celebrations, it was thought the Board might agree to reduce its charges for lighting. The labour could be charged for and the current used donated. Thc Chairman said that the Borough would go to its legal limit in connection with the Jubilee outlay, but it could go no further. Mr Clayton objected to the Board granting the request. The Borough should bear th e loss. Thc Board was part of the County, and the County Council was not doing more. At anyrate, he would prefer to see the balance sheet before there was any reduction made. The Chairman said there was a debit balance, or the request would not be made, but any reduction could be made, conditional on the balance sheet showing a deficit. Mr Clayton moved that thc matter be left over until after the issue of the balance sheet. Mr O’Brien seconded, saying Mr Clayton’s motion was only a fair proposition. Thc Chairman said he wanted any reduction to be unanimous. Mr Kent, said it must be remembered that it was for the whole district, not merely the Borough, that thc Jubilee was celebrated. It, was agreed that the matter stand over until after the issue of the Jubilee balance sheet-