POWER BOARDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 August 1924, Page 5

POWER BOARDS.

TARANAKI MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held at Eltharn yesterday. There were present: Messrs H. G. Carman (chairman), J. L. Campbell, T. R. Anderson, C. E. McGuinness,. W, Y. Harkness, and G. Sangster. Mr. W. H. Were w T as granted leave of absence. CONDOLENCE.

Before proceeding with the business of the meeting the chairman made reference to the lamented death of Air. L. Birks (formerly chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department), who had accomplished a great deal of valuable work on behalf of the board. The following motion of regret and condolence with the bereaved relatives was recorded., the meeting standing in silence: “That the hoard place on record its sincere regret that by the death of Air. L. Birks the services of a capable and conscientious officer have been lost to the community, and that the sincere sympathy of its members he extended to his children and relatives.” , TOLL FEES. The Eltharn County Council advised that after consideration at its last meeting of the board’s request for a remission on tolls, the council had decided that “the application be not entertained.” Reporting for the Stratford County Council on this subject, Mr. Anderson intilhated that the application had the sympathy of the council, who, however, were unable to grant the remission, as it was beyond their power to do so. Were it possible, the council would have no hesitation in granting the remission. The hoard decided to forward an urgent letter to the Alinister for Public Works, recommending that power boards he placed on the same footing as public works in the matter of exemption from toll fees. GENERAL. The deputy district telegraph engineer, writing with reference to the establishment of a telephone office at Alotukawa, advised that the authority would be given on condition that* the board assists in the construction of the line by carting poles from the railway and supplying labour. —It was decided to reply that the board was of opinion that the present line to Alotukawa would meet all .requirements. The Odlin Timber Company wrote advising, in reply to the "board’s inquiry, that poles were ready for loading, and the company were now awaiting shipping space for New' Plymouth —Received. Following a discussion dealing with the board’s policy regarding installations. it was decided that all applica tions be investigated and'certified by the secretary before the work is proceeded w'ith. A brief resume of the business transacted at the recent conference of power boards, held at Wellington, was given by the chairman, w r ho w r as accorded a vote of thanks for his attendance at and report on the conference. ENGINEERS’ REPORTS. The reports of the engineers (Messrs H. W. Climie and Son) as follows were" adopted. Headworks. —Two men are employed making a permanent fish ladder at the w'eir. On the 10th inst. the w'ater was drawn dow'n in the main race, and all the leaves, debris, etc., which had been deposited were cleaned from the front of the screens. On the same day the generator w r as dismantled to correct some slight defects. Apart from this and a little trouble w'ith the voltage regulator, the temporary generating plant had continued to run satisfactorily without attendance. The contractors have made good progress in driving the short tunnel on Mr. Long’s property. They have met .with the same sort of clay as was met with in the diversion tunnel at Ratapiko. Owing to sickness, the contractors for No. 8 adit have been unable to do much work during the month. The contractors have completed No. 5 adit, about ten chains distant the surge tower site. The papa rock met with in this drive was so hard and dense that the usual method of drilling w'ith an augur could not be followed. The main tunnel for over one hundred feet has been driven through similar papa to that mentioned above. So long as the hydraulic ram can force the machine against the face with a thrust of over two and a half tons the machine has no difficulty in cutting its way through this hard material, if the picks are replaced each four feet of advancement. The papa is so dense and hard, and tjie machine cuts so true, that only a very light lining of concrete will be required. The tunnel is now quite dry, and there should be no difficulty in applying this lining with the cement gun that has been imported ior the purpose. As authorised by your board, arrangements have beeii made with Mr. Sexton to deliver gravel and stone on the Alotukawa Road above the county quarry, at KJs per cubic yard. Mr. Lockhart’s tender for carting this at 5s per yard has been accepted. Contractors declined to tender for the supply of crushed metal until the weather improves. Four men are now employed spreading and napping the stone and in maintenance work on the Alotukawa Road- Two men are employed erecting bins to receive the shell, rock and other stone obtained from the tail races. The contractor for the erection of the five-roomed cottage has made such good progress that it is expected the building will be completed before next meeting. It is proposed to call tenders this month for the first section of the tunnel on Air. Downes’ property that will ultimately connect the Alangaotea swamp with the Alako stream. Tenders will be called for the erection of at least two concrete bridges to span the main water race. If possible, tenders will also be called for the construction of the Ratapiko dam embankment and spillway, also for the erection of the tail race at Alotukawa. We have to submit at the next meeting an analysis of the cost of the headworks to dike. Although the contractors inform us that there are over live hundred poles ready for shipment, there appears to lie no prospect of getling any lor some tune. The lack of poles is not only going to postpone the erection of anil the putting, into beneficial use of many lines, but it also leads to inefficiency in the erection of the lines themselves. Owing to the want of poles, the pole-erecting gangs have to bo put on to the work of erecting wires, cables, and services, work in" which most of them are inexperienced. The output of concrete poles is enough to keep only one erecting gang The position to us appears ito be so serious that we have made inquiries for the supply of bluegum poles from the Rangitikei district. According to quotations received, the cost delivered at Eltharn will be only one-third that of ironbark or concrete poles. The experience of farmers using mature bluegum for fence posts in the Rangitikei indicates a fife of about fifteen years.

The saving in interest and sinking fund on the cheaper pole line, over that of ironbark or concrete, would he sufficient in twelve years, if accumulated at compound interest, to cover the cost and also the erection of the blue-gum poles. Therefore their use appears to be justified for at least branch lines. We recommend that a trial order be placed for two hundred poles.

During the month a supply of current lias been given to consumers in Tanki. Given fine_ weather, consumers on the Ross and Ngaro Roads will be s\\ itched on this week. These consumois guaranteed a revenue that warranted the immediate construction of this line, and the line was constructed lather than others where no guarantee was given. The poles have been erect- , Du* as Miuliirst, and a considerable amount of the wire run out. Given fine weather, the Midhirst and Waipuku factories and most of the consumers ,en route will be connected up early next month. In Eltharn 90 per cent.'of the poles have been erected, and a start has been made on the erection of the cables. This work-will be pushed ahead, so that the lines will he ready when a supply of current is available." Owing to another break in the pipe line a supply from Kaponga cannot be available for several months. Owing to unforeseen difficulties the erection of the turbine by the Dairy Company has been delayed, and it appears that a supply from that source will not be available tor two or three months. Subject to the Kaponga Town Board agreeing to transmit power from the Opunake system over their line, a supply from that source should be available in six weeks. Owing to the shortage of ironbark poles it itf proposed to use concrete poles from Tariki on the Eltham Road, and a start is being made today to cart these out. The telephone spivice to Alotukawa is now in operation. 1 OPUNAKE. NEW MEMBERS ELECTED. Aiising out of a- petition expressing dissatisfaction with the personnel of the Opunake Power Board, a publio meeting was held yesterday to select live county Power Board members The meeting, which was presided over by the county chairman, Mr W. C Green was field in the Town Hall at Opunake and was attended by about 100 persons. 1 the chairman, in asking foir nominations, reminded those present that only ratepayers in the Power Board area were eligible nor nomination. The chairman also pointed out that only ratepayers in the Power Board area in the county could vote. Ratepayers m the Town Board district could not vote at tlio present meeting. Votes could be recorded for one up to five of the gentlemen nominated. Air 11. Atorris, senr., nominated Messrs W. L. F. Chambers, T. H. H. Sinclair, John Hickey, junr., E. A. Collins, aiul J. S. Toslaud. j\£, r B. F. Bowman seconded.

Air H. M imro -nominated the remaining sitting county members on the Board—Messrs M. O’Brien, C. 11. Hurst, Fred Carter and H. Young.— Mr E. G. Bayliss seconded. Mr R. Watson nominated Air R. kerguson, and Mi' G. Machray seconded. ' -. Mr F. A. Cook nominated Mr T. Gardner, and Mr \Y. Wann seconded. Nominations then closed. .. -M-* O’Brien asked the chairman if lie had statutory authority for linking an election. There was nothing in. the Power Boards Act. An election meant the establishment of booths, and while the present meeting was ■.airly representative, was it enough?He took it- that there was nothing in the Power Boards Act which gave them th© authority to hold an election such as the chairman proposed. All they could do was to call for nominations and forward the names of all those nominated to the Minister of Public Works. The chairman: I have stated the purpose of the meeting. The names of the five gentlemen receiving the highest number of votes will be. forwarded to the Alinister. That is all there is to it. Air Gardner: Is it correct that the County Council have the power to tick the names off and put in any men they think fit ? The chairman: We will certainly submit the names of the five gentlemen who receive the greatest number of vote*. Mr O’Brien again rose so speak on the legality of the proceedings of the meeting, but the chairman said he would not allow him to speak on that aspect of the question. He could speak to the nominations. They had written authority from the Undersecretary to call the meeting and select five members. Air O’Brien still made an attempt to speak, but the chairman said he was not going to hear him. “I will declare the meeting closed or have 3'ou removed if you don’t take your seat,” said the chairman. Mr O’Brien still remained standings and, turning, commenced to address the meeting. Numbers of those prethen took matters into their own hands, and prolonged stamping d»owned the speaker’s voice each time he commenced to speak. At length he gave up the attempt and sat down. A ballot was then held, and resulted as follows: J. S. Tosland 60, W. L. : F. Chambers 60, John Hickey, junr., 51, T. H. H. Sinclair 50, E. A. Collins 49, H. Young 30, AI. O’Brien 23, C. H. Hurst 22, 11. Ferguson 17, and T. Gardner 14. The chairman declared the first five gentlemen elected, and the meeting closed with a vote of -thanks ro the chair. SOUTH TARANAKI. PETITION TO BE PRESENTED. An indication that the formation of a South Taranaki Power Board would shortly advance another stage was given by his Worship the Mayor, Mr L. A. Bone, at the meeting of the Borough Council last night. His Worship said that the petition would be printed in a few days and circulated for signature, and he wanted a resolution from the council giving mg authority to appoint a canvasser to visit the ratepayers and obtain signatures. The local bodies concerned would find the salary of the canvasser between them,. but in any case the amount involved would he very small. Hawera would be done in about a week at £1 Is a day. The petition would require the signatures of at least 25 per cent of the ratepayers. It was decided to appoint a canvasser. Continuing, His Worship said that the Power Board would consist of two members each from the Hawera County, the Waimate AVest County, and the Hawera Borough, and ono member each .from the Norm an by Town Board and the Manaia Town Board. The northern boundary of the Power Board’s district would- be the southern boundary of the Taranaki Power Board’s district; the western boundary would be the eastern boundary of the Opunake Power Board’s district; the eastern boundary would be the Tongahoe river down to the sea. The Patea County and all that area down as far as the Rangitikei Power Board’s district would be an outer area. In conclusion, his AA 7 orship said that' within three months the whole matter would be fixed.