HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 June 1925, Page 10

HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. TARANAKI POWER 'BOARD MEETS. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held yesterday, when there were present: Messrs 11. G. Carman (in the chair), J. T. Belchc.r, W. V. .Harkness, T. E. Anderson, E. E. McGuihness, E. J. Knuekey, and W. H. Were. The Taranaki Education Board wrote stating that a. request had been received from the settlers on the Motukawa Road for provision for .the education of their children (about 10 of school age). It had been stated that the Power Board had a, motor truck which might be used to convey these children from Motukawa Road to the Tarata school. Would the Power Board fall in with this suggestion and undertake the conveyance ((PTarata in time to arrive at. 9.15 a.in. and leave at 3.45 p.m.? Also, at what price? The chairman said that at present the board had- no truck on that route, and the expense of running one would be too great. It was decided to reply to that effect. The board’s solicitors, Messrs Syme and Weir, advised l that plans for the closing of a portion of the Kupara Rond for the purpose of a surge tank site had been prepared and were ready for the -consent of the Inglewood County Council. The solicitors pointed out tha‘f hf a cdiifeTcbice with the Inglewood county representatives it was stipulated that one of the conditions of consent would be the entering into a cqyenant by the board that, in the event of tlie I ;.county ever forming the. road any increased . cost of so doing occasioned by the closing, of the portion of the road referred to should be borne by the board.

The plans and covenant were approved by the hoard. The chairman and-Mr. Harkness were appointed to confer with Messrs J - ’. E. .Wilson and .1. Brown,.-of the New Plymouth Borough Council, with .refer-ence-to reaching a working arrangement to supply current to a farmer on the west side of Windsor Road, which road was the'boundary between the Board’s area and the area supplied from the New Plymouth works. Tlie, committee" was ■given power to act. . , VThe Engineer-in-Chief and Under.secretary to the Public .Works Department (Mr. F. W. Furkert) advised that the annual remuneration fixed by the board for its chairman, namely, £2OO, had been approved.—Received. In reply to Mr. McGuinness the wiring superintendent (Mr. B. 11. Goldsmith) said that the Hunter Road work was going ahead, and the whole of the road would be finished within a fortnight or three weeks. SALE OF POWER, The wiring superintendent (Mr. B. W. -Goldsmith) reported that the number of consumers was now 411, and in addition 23 installations were ready for connection and one more was authorised. Authority had been given to proceed with motor installations at Pembroke and Waingongoro factories, of 15 aud 71 horse-power respectively. The work would be put in hdirtl aliuost iin" mediately. ’ v ~ '’ ' " '■ /■ The group of jobs, including Surrey Road, proposed, to be carried out by • a included, .only sixteen installations. In order to make the group more- attractive he had-a canvass made of Rugby Road and 1 - Norfolk Road,, east and west. The result of the canvass, had been .considered by -the .Finance Committee, and Rugby Road and Norfolk .Roa.d-Y.enst were; passed for reticulation, providing arrangements ‘.could, be made for getting the work ddne- This- brought the number of inSitallatiphs iit-the’group up t 0,37, with a strong-possibility of being'lncreased to 50 when the work was actually commenced. -On this basis he had made ; arrangements Wjifch Messrs Dobbs Bi os., of Wanganui, tb undertake the group at •the prices already quoted to consumers -py the bohrd) and in-accordahee with -the boniM’s specifications and rules of. installation:; Further,- to expedite the hoijse,-Wiving' work, lie had handed over a: group of id consumers oh the Upper Hastings Rodd to■ 'Messrs .Ritter and de'Launay on similar terms. ' After giving the' system ;of meter reading very careful consideration, Mr. Goldsmith was convinced that the extra cost of reading meters in the. : country area.' quarterly, instead of yearly, would be more than repaid in-simplification of oiliee work and records, and in satisfaction to consumers. " , L

I During the period which 'ended on May 31 there had been severai requests from consumers to take a-•rfeiiding- in order to give them an indication of the probable cost of their power.; Under the existing system it was; quite possible for a consumer who djd bio.t fully understand the principle to’fe.el quite .satisfied with the cost of power,, as indicated by the standard quarterly, charges, and yet to be in reality piling up a big debit for the end of tlie year through injudicious use of a stove, radiator, or other appliance. _ . Another aspect was that of a consumer Heaving the: district after having paid two or three quarterly' standard charges, and yet being still in debit. The chairman and engineer both agree.!,! that the quarterly system; would be better for a stand.

■ ! The report was adopted. -. -f Jh reply to tlie chairman,'dMi- Goldsmith said that Messrs Ritter,-and dfe Lauuay had already commenced their contract, and Messrs Dobbs Btps. would be commencing in a week’s’'time. ...ENGINEERS’ REPORTS. The btnrfl’s- Messrs. H. W. Cllimie and. Son,V-reported;; as follows "on hydro development:.. " • Main Tunnel. —-This ' ftmncl-'Tjs now driven 4180 feet, having advaiiccrl 532 feet during tlie last month. A considerable amount of isolated stones has been met withy the largest being about twenty feet long. The driving is now in soft papa rock, carrying seams of sand. The tunnelling machine is now halfway between No. J and No. 2 adit. Arrange niets are now being made to set up ail auxiliary camp at No. I adit, so that the traffic through I lie tunnel may be eliminated. It is proposed, as'soon as tlie tunnel is driven to No. T adit, to commence on tlie concrete lining and work backwards towards, tlie outlet. Tlie Inspector of Miiies visited .the works on the 10th inst.

Surge Chamber.—The dome of .tlie surge chamber was excavated in papa rock, and it is proposed to concrete this before the contractor extends tlie excavation of tliis underground chamber. Steps are being taken to provide an auxiliary water supply to give the necessary pressure to- operate the cement gun. Powerhouse. —The additional excavation required for the new site "Will be completed this week and a start made on the turbine pit. The crusher has been set up near the powerhouse, and a- start lias been made to crush metal for the concrete.

Pipe Line.—Most of the pipes have been delivered, and the contractors have made fair progress with the erection. The contractors for the concrete work have completed the bolsters and are now engaged in concreting the bauds into the anchor blocks. Road Maintenance. —Owing to the heavy carting over the Motukawa Road as many as four men have been employed nil maintenance work. This month it is proposed to shape up the •formation on the Kupara Road.

Ratapiko Dam and Deviation.-—Wet weather during the month has interfered with-the progress of the work on these contracts.

Downes Tunned. —The contractor has driven this tunnel about ten chains and is in good ground. Tenders. —It is proposed to call tenders for (1) the excavation of water race from Tariki Road to Mangaotea swamp and (2) the extension of Downes tunnel.

The report was received. Tlie engineers’ reticulation .report was as follows:, Poles have been .erected on Bird Road (completed to Mountain Road), Mountain Road (completed to Nashßoad), Stuart-Dakiel Road loop, Oliura, Road from sub-station to Toko, Ohura Road from sub-station to Ward’s (Stratford)', Waingongoro Road to factory. •-.

Wires have been erected on Bird Road from;-Mountain Road to Skinner Road, -Mountain Road south of Bird Road, and Dudley Road east has -been started. ■ Services' have been erected on Rawhitiroa Road, Upper Hastings Road, Opunake-Mahoe Road, Beaeonsfield ■Road. . ■_ fif Transfornievs have been livened up on Flint. Road (one), Hastings Road (three), Malice Road (three), Piakau bridge (one), Beaeonsfield Road (two), Mountain Road, Eltham , . (two), ’ and Ratapiko .Road (one). The concrete.slabs for the main Substations at Eltham and on the Oliura Road have been .completed. Earths throughout- the system have been, consolidated; and, .connected! to the neutral conductor. Arrangements have been made with two gangs to- erect wires on a. piece •work basis. 1 The report was- received.