GREY POWER BOARD

Grey River Argus, 22 October 1936, Page 2

GREY POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the Grey Power Board last evening there were present Messrs. W. H. Parfitt (chairman), J. Mulcare, F. L. Turley, J. B. Kent, A. Robinson, W. Clayton, J. Smeaton, J. Unwin and A. 11. McKane. The Power Boards’ Association advised that power stations were exempt from certain provisions of the Factories Act Amendment. The secretary (Air A. J. AleDowall) said that apparently faultsmen were exempt except that not more than 120 hours were to be worked by them in each period of three weeks. The Brunner Women’s Institute , wrote expressing appreciation of the Board’s efforts in arranging cooking demonstrations at Brunner.

The Power Boards’ Association forwarded Ministerial replies to remits carried at the recent conference. Air Kent said that the remits had mostly met with a favourable reception. The Employers’ Federation wrote in reference to local bodies drivers’ wages. The chairman said that the letter did not concern the Board. The Rotomanu Ball Committee’s invitation to the grand electric, ball on Saturday next was received with thanks,'and it was decided that all members who could, should attend the function. On the motion of Air Kent and the chairman the usual donation of an electric utensil is to be made to the Rotomanu committee.

The secretary stated in reference to the five-day week that fifteen boards hud adopted the proposal, four boards had rejected it, and sixteen boards had not yet considered the matter. The Finance Committee’s report was as follows; A.our; committee met at the board’s office. Mackay Street, Greymouth., on Tuesday. ”Oth October,' 193,6, all members being present with the exception of (the chairman, from whom an apology was received. In the absence of the eha'iman, on the motion of Alessrs s-m.eaton and Kent. Air Clayton was voted to the "hair. The following reports and recommendations are presented for your approval;— Bank Accounts: Power Fund Account. —To receipts.; Power Fund A/c. £4749 14s fid. dam oan A/e £491 9s 3d, tcc. Rotomanu loan £l4Ol 6s lOd (£6.642 U>s 7<l). to Imlnnce O/d. £20.999 3s 8d : total £‘27.641 14s 3d. Bv balance at 31/8/3<> £l4 000 7g sd. bv payments Si'ipfember. tcv erue i’SIS 7s" (id. capital £1.1.82'2 19s ■ld (£13.641 6s lOd); total £27.611 14s 3d. Rotomanu Loan Account —Advanced from Power Fund A/c. £1.401 (>s lOd, payments £1.401 6,s 10d: total fl 401 6s 10(1. Dam Loan AccountReceived to date £12.000; payments £4,-191 9< 3d, bahince £7,508 10s 9(1: total £12.000. The revenue for the last rending is; Town £l,93<> 12- 10dcountry £2,856 Ss lid: totaj £4,79 Is 9d. This amount brings the lota up to £20.951. wh'le the esHmated amount is' £18.450. That the action of the chairman and secretary in . dealing with the disposal of the Umber nt Arnold be approved. On complaint by J. 1. Smail. Ltd., it is recommendri] that, no action be taken by the board. That the board’s contribution of £7 10s to the Centennial organisation as recommended by the committee be passed for payment. It is recommended that, the see.rci'ary be ask-; cd to report on advertising generally at the next meeting of the board. That a donation of £5 be made to, the funds of the. Plunks Society. /Thai the wiremen’s registration account M £9 3s 5d be passed for payment. On, 'otter from the T’ower Boards Association re demonstrations, it recommended that no action be, taken. Tha’ the secretarv advise the manager of the James Mine ef the eir.-umstaiwes regnrd'n" present rate of supp y. Recommended that the Power Boards’ Associat'on be advised that th-s board was nof agreeable to the costs of,.Appoal Court action as allocated. That the board use Health Stamp- for :■ period of one month for po-tage. Recommended that the secretary’s report be received and adopted. The report was adopted. The engineer (Air Sinclair Trotter’i reported a<= follows: T have to report for the period . 20th September. 1936 tn 20th October. 1936. as fo'lows:— Arnold R'.vor Generating Station: The units generated and maximum demands for the five weeks ending (3c tnb'er 18th were' as follow-: Week ending 20th September. 227,000 k.w.h. gennraited. 1980 maximum demami; 27th September, 226 250 k.w h. —2160; 4th October, 218.450 k.w-h. —2124; 11th October, 240.650 k.w.h.—2250; 18th October. 247.400 k.w.h.—22J4. Total units for five week*. 1,159./50 k.w.h. The highest weekly load factor was 68.2' per cent., and the lowest 61.3 per cent. Re.ticulat'on: The outside staff have been engaged on general maintenance of k’n.es, connecting services, and alterations at Coal Creek and Dobson. Some ordinary maintenance on outdoor transformers has a'so been carried out in connection with re-conditioning oil and nr nor repairs. The contractor for the Rotomanu line has completed pole erection as tar athe Rotomanu Hall. an ( ] power will be put through to this point bolore the week-end. Tlfcl work of c-ieeting the various transformers by cur own staff has been put. in hand, and up to yesterday transformers were oreeten at Mrs Lingard’s ‘and at Arat’ka. The continuous' we(t iwienthor has greatly hampered the steady progress of the work, and the amount comp’eted ’o date can be considered sat'sfactory under the circumstances, pur ng the hi’tavy flood in the Grey River on 11"' 10th October, erosion set in on the northern side of the large is'and jus l be.J«w the n.'way bridge at Blackball and carried away the H. pole at one cud of thci long river span. This was the only damage suffered on the board’s system:, and did not result in any’ serious inconvenience as we were able to feed power over the line on the south side of the river after the fault was cleared pending reerection of the span polep. No Double of any kind was experienced at the headworks in han(U' ; ng the flood, and no-part of the works was menaced in anv wav, although several rumo-irs to that effect wC-re current at the time, resulting in numerous enquiries. Since last meeting. 34 new applications for supp'y have been received, raak’ng the total to date, 3'758. Thirty new consumers have been connected, and this brings the total number of consumers up to 3764; Extensions and alterations to 71 existing installations have been ranaed out. Nine e’ectr'c ranges and 46 radio sets have been installed. The connected load for the period D; Previous—Liglvi 1439.710 k.w, heat and iron 3014.585 k.w., water heating

241.450 k.w., power 7217.25 h.p., cooking 2191.650 k.w.; present—7.l7o, 29.680. 11.200, 18.00, 51.000; totals 1446.880,. 3044.265, 252.650, 7235.25, 2242.650. Load at last meeting 12.371 k.w., load for month 112 k.w.; total 12.453 k.w. The report was adopted.

Mr Clayton said that it was time that the Board had a stocktaking of the requirements of its large consumers and he. moved (hat the Engineer and secretary bring down a report, for the next meeting. The Board, he said, had consumers who wanted power, but could not get it, whilst power which should be utilised was tied up. Seconding tho motion, Air Unwin said that Mr Clayton’s idea was quite sound. The Board did not know which of its large consumers was using power and which was not. The motion was carried.

Air Aluleare said that, whilst not desiring to move ti motion, he considered that a works committee should be set up to assist the. Engineer. The Engineer had plenty to do, and the Board should take some of the responsibility off his shoulders. Such a. committee would be of advantage as occasion demanded.

Air Kent agreed and thought that a small committee could be. set up. The Engineer said that he would be glad if Board members had a look at. the works occasionally. The work going on at the present time was a big undertaking and not an easy one.

Air Clayton said that Board members would do well to make, an inspection of (he dam. The chairman’s motion that Board members proceed to the works as soon as could be arranged, was carried. Tn answer to Air MeKanc, the Engineer said that the work was not fa r enough advanced for an inspection just now.