POWER BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 July 1924, Page 8

POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held at Eltham yesterday. There were present: Messrs H. G. Carman (chairman), J. L. Campbell, C. McGuinness, W. H. Were, R. T. Anderson, V. Harkness, J. Sangster, the secretary (Mr W. J. and engineers (Messrs H. and R. Climie). ENGINEERS’ REPORT. The engineers’ report was adopted, stating, inter alia: Owing to the broken weather, and in order to avoid carting on soft roads, only enough men have been employed on this section of the scheme to work the tunnelling machine, and to do essential work such as fencing. opening up shell rock deposits, and road maintenance. Shell rock deposits have been uncovered for a distance of over 20 chains in the gully above the tailrace at Motukawa. Various tenders have been called for quarrying Ahis material, also for carting it and other metal to the crusher site or on to the roads. It is proposed to erect bins to facilitate handling the shell rock. Much time has been lost in locating and adjusting the defects in the tunneller. The report detailed the difficulties experienced. The makers, apparently realising that the cutters fitted on the machine wouia not be suitable for papa rock, sent out a different tyoe by a later boat. These were so difficult to fit on the machine that the job has only lately been completed. The steel on the cutters provided appears to be of such uneven quality that others of special steel are now being made. Notwithstanding many vexatious delays caused by these and other defects, the machine has advanced 100 feet in clav up a grade of 1 in 25, and about 50 feet also on an approximately leCel grade in haixl brown papa rock. It is expected that with cutters of improved form and better steel better progi’ess will he reported next month. The makers’ agents in New Zealand have been notified that the machine is now working in the material on which they submitted their guarantee, and they have been asked to attend the official trials at an early date. Their engineer has already spent 10 days on the machine. A considerable quantity of timber has been carted out for the five-roomed cottage at Motukawa. and its erection has been commenced. It is proposed in the coming month to remove into the upper camp near the tunnel entrance, which has been constructed during the month. A water supply and drainage,system is now being installed. For the former a pump capable of lifting over 20,000 gallons a day to a height of 500 feet has been erected on , the Motukawa stream and coupled to an electric motor. This water will be available for concrete mining on the pipe line and tunnel. Arrangements were made with the contractors for the tailrace tunnel to drive No. 3 adit. In both this and No. 2 adit good dry papa rock has been encountered. The highest flood this season occurred in the Manganui during the month without damaging any of the work, including the stopbank at the control .gates, concerning which we expressed some doubts. The temporary generating plant has operated automatically, except' for an occasional visit by Mr Swinburn and a daily visit by the caretaker, Mi* Thompson. Ihe screens, however, require more frequent attention, particularly when the river is in flood. Seven miles of telephone line has been erected between the headworks and Motukawa, and has been in operation for some time It is recommended that Messrs A. D. Rilev and Cp.’s tender for 10-ton overhead travelling crane for power house be accepted, and that Messrs J. Duthie and s tender he accepted for joists and rails, and Cory-Wright and Salmon’s tor tip trucks.

GENERAL.: ~ remits for consideration at tne Power Boards’ Conference at WdInigton on August 6 was received. Ihe matter of procuring necessarv office furniture was left to the chairman and secretary, it being further resolved that members visit the new office and decide on the pattern of meeting table to be used. The chairman drew attention to the need for aspha ting the footpath opposite the board’s new office in Brido C F I rC^? lvcd to r<Wst-the tho matt!, °" Sh . C °" nc " *° ***»« in S "'S,S. b ' ,s! " css •»