TARANAKI POWER BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 November 1924, Page 7

TARANAKI POWER BOARD.

= MONTHLY MEETING

The Taranaki Power Board met on Monday., Present: Messrs. H. G. Carman (chairman), H. Were, T. R. Anderson, C. E. McGuinness, j! L. Campbell, and W. V. Harkness. The Opunake Electric Power Board advised that the following motion had been carried: “That the resolution of the meeting held on August 8 .accepting the Taranaki Power Board’s offer be rescinded. ’’ —Received.

The Eltham Fire Board requested the board to instal a lighting point in frojrt of the fire brigade station, such lamp to. be connected with the borough council's street lighting circuit, and, as per arrangements made with the chairman of the power board, to be charged , at the same rate per annum as was charged to the council fdr a street light, viz., £3 15s for all night lighting and maintenance for a 100 candle-power lamp or £5 for a 200 o.p. lamp. At present .the board desired a 100 c..p. lamp, but might require a higher power lamp at a later date.

The chairman said that the application had originally been made verbally, it being started that the lamp should be connected to the street wiring circuit. He had no doubt but that could be done. —On his motion, the application was referred to the wiring .superintendent.

Loan papers for the board’s loan of £50,000 were received and it was decided that the chairman and secretary should execute them. ENGINEER,’S REPORT.

The engineers (H. W. Climie and Son) reported as follows : Main Tunnel.—This tunnel has now been driven 1031 feet. During the whole of the month the tunnel has been following a seam of rock, which has seriously held up the work. Fortunately the seam dipped slightly and has now disappeared, below the tunnel. In the last few days, since leaving this seam, progress has been more rapid. Should a similar seam be encountered it is proposed to reverse the grade for a distance and keep the seam above, and then drive up through the seam on a steep gradient. A seven and a half horse-power fan has been installed to ventilate the tunnel.

The 40 h.p. air compressor for operating the cement gun was delivered last week. Arrangements are being made to operate from it ’ pneumatio tools, should rock again be encountered in the tunnel. The Inspector of Mines visited the works on the 14th and the Health Inspector on the 13th. The Motu-k-awa camp has suffered during the month from an epidemic of influenza and .dysentery. Metalling.—The stone crusher purchased by -the works committee was set up at Motukawa last week and belted to an electric motor.' A start has been made metalling the pipe-line road. It is proposed to put through 'the crusher all shell rock and stone that has been got from the Motukawa stream. It is later proposed to shift the crusher further down the road to crush metal obtained from the Waitara River. Portion of this crushed metal will be used for concrete works. Power House. —Contractors for the excavation of this site have commenced work. We have arranged with them to deliver any boulders encountered at 3s per yard alongside the road above.

Foundation plans of the turbines were, received last week from the makers. It will now be possible to complete the plans of the power house, for the construction of which specifications will be prepared and tenders called this month. Tail Race. —Messrs Sexton and Co. cannot undertake the construction of this simultaneously with the excavation of the power house, and we recommend that arrangements be made with the next tenderer to carry out this work.

Motukawa Culvert. —The construction of this. ireinforced concrete culvert, which gives access to the pipe line and power house has now been * by the contractor.

Ratapiko Works—Arrangements have been made with the lowest tenderer, Mr C. Speck, to construct the dam embankment and spillway by contract, as amended by the Works-, Committee. The diversion tunnel requires to be lined, and this work has been commenced by <Jay labour under Mr Troy’s supervision. Until this work is completed, Mr Speck is making preliminary arrangements for this contract, and has commenced on the work of deviating Ratapiko Road. On a start being made with the actual tunnel for diverting the larger stream on the west side of the Ratapiko Road, the contractors, Messrs Neilson and Son, have struck a bad seam of that fine sand. We therefore determined the < 01. tract and arranged with them to construct a concrete culvert instead at the same schedule prices as given by the contractor for the other culverts, uith the exception of the excavation winch- Sir Neilson is doing for 2s per yard. General.—The contractor for Downes’ tunnel is making fair progress and is now getting into better country. Owing to accidents and sickness, the com 1 actors for the No. 2 adit have not yet completed their contract. The report was adopted. Referring to the main tunnel, Mr Climie said that the progress was nowhalf a chain past the seam. If sand were struck the .men'would have to shoot, making a more expensive job. With pneumatic tools, the boulders would be got out easily. The air compressor had made a belated appearance, being six months ordered. Tenders were being called for the second tunnel, and then tenders would be invited for the surge chamber. Mr Climie said be was glad of the visit of the Inspector of Mines, because he had put them on side. Application would be made for a ticket for the men in charge of the tunnelling to use explosives. If the ticket were not applied for and an accident occurred, the board would probably be liable to heavy damages. Speaking of the illness at Motukawa, the engineer stated that he did not know what was the cause, but members of the Board said there had been a prevalence of gastric influenza during the past month.

As to the tender for the tail race, Mr Climie said that' the second tenderer, Mr Borthwick, was in hospital, so he could not ask him to undertake the work until he came out o.f hospital. Mr Climie said that he preferred that the work he done by contract.

Of the Ratapiko work being undertaken by Mr Troy, the engineer said that it would be advisable to line the diversion tunnel, as the whole dam would be affected. The cost of lining would be £4OO. Mr Speck would not be held up, as he could proceed with cleaning up. Mr Anderson said that he had inspected the tunnel, and the engineer was right- in suggesting lining. The work w-ould take six weeks, he estimated. The face of the tunnel was volcanic pug. RETICULATION REPORT. The engineer reported as follows: — Line Construction.—Favoured with

fair weather good progress has been made during the last fortnight. Owing, however, to the difficulty met with in having trees removed, the line construction cannot now be completed between Tariki and Eltham or another fortnight. The wire in now being run out from either end, and from the north end is erected as far as the Cardiff Road. One pole-erection gang has been transferred north to erect poles northwards" of Maketawa, and around the south of Inglewood to couple up with New Plymouth supply. It is proposed to transfer the other gang to the Eltham Road, should no tenders for that section be accepted, and then carry on up the Hastings Road.

Poles.—A consignment of about 560 ironbark poles arrived during the month. The Railway Department, notwithstanding notice of their arrival and your previous protest, again consigned a large number in highsided trucks, to unload which was a costly and slow process. The use of the crane, though suggested by the Traffic Manager in his previous reply to your board, was not permitted. About one thousand concrete poles have accumulated in the Tariki depot and it will be necessary to operate the White lorry and trailer on two shifts daily to keep the yard clear and do other heavy haulage. Temporary Supply.—The operation of the Tariki station has not been satisfactory during the .month owing to failure of the governor and voltageregulator, also due to line trouble.

If consumers would he good enough to inform any of the Board’s officers immediately there is any defect the trouble could be remedied very <<nv ly. Usually some hours elapse before the board is notified. We suggest that an advertisement be inserted in the various newspapers asking consumers and the public fo notify the boord by telephone at once of any defect in the supply or lines.

Interruption to Supply.—During the period of construction, it is essential from time to time to cut off the supply from one section in order to couple another section to it,„ or to erect additional transformers in that section. It usually causes consumers less inconvenience if the interruption occurs on Sundays or after midnight. Night work is unsatisfactory and inefficient and we do not recommend it. Dairy factories can usually shut down earlier on Sundays than on week days. We therefore suggest that consumers be notified that the board reserves the right to cut off the power on Sundays between 1 p.m. and 4.30 p.m, Referring to the linking up with New Plymouth, the engineer stated that given fine weather work would be' completed within a fortnight at least

Speaking of notification of trouble, Mr. Climie said that the consumers mostly were not on the telephone. Regarding the cutting off of power from 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. on Sundays, Mr. Climie said that the time was really too short. The dairy companies seemed to have less to do on Sundays. Mr. Harkness: No, the factories have the same amount to do every day. Later, Mr. Climie said that he had consulted Mr. Goldsmith (wiring superintendent) on the question and he had agreed that 'the dairy companies could shut down at 1 p.m ■ Mr. Campbell thought that the dairy factories should be notified. .Mr. Harkness said that i| the power went off; the factories would take some time to work ux> their standby power. Mr. Climie said that only one section might be cut off. Mr. Campbell: Even if it is only one section, notification' should be given nest he Press. We will safeguard ourselves. , The chairman said the consumers should be notified in. the ' Press in fairness to them. 3 IVfr. Harkness: How many gangs have you pole fixing? The engineer: Two-wiring and poleraising gangs. Mr Harkness: You are not putting up 40 poles a day?

Mr. Climie: Wb are not putting the them in 38 as are making The retiort was adopted.— Argus.