KAPONGA’S ELECTRIC POWER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 16 April 1926, Page 8

KAPONGA’S ELECTRIC POWER

AUTHORITIES CONFER

COUNTRY AREA SUPPLY

i PARTIAL SERVICE AVAILABLE

To deal with the position which has arisen in connection with electric power -supply at Kaponga as a. -result of the destruction by fare yesterday of the equipment of the power house -supplying the country area, a conference of the Kaponga. Co-op Dairy Company, -as owners, and the Town Hoard as lessees of the power-house was held at Kaponga last evening. > A'l members of the company directorate and the Town Board were in attendance.

Mr A. V. Tait, chairman of directors of the company, presided, the -other members of the directorate present being: -Messrs \V. O’Neill, G. B. Hil'l, J. H. Bentley, W. Hollard, P. Thoumine, J. W. H. Gardiner-and R. G. Cook (secretary). The Town Board members present were: Commissioners A. R. Bates (chairman), R. A. Law. J. Dawson, R. E. Williams, A. J. Herbert, C. E. Betts, I>. J. Kehely. Messrs A. E. Moss (engineer) and G. P. Cook (clerk). Prior to the conference, a special meeting of the board was held to consider the question of maintaining a supply to-the country area. The engineer explained that current could -not be looked for from outside sources, ’but it would be possible to afford a Cert a in- service temporarily from the town generating plant pending the restoration of the country plant. He detailed arrangements whereby sufficient water storage could be -secured to enable the capacity -of the lower power-house to be increased su-f----fu-ientlv to allow the usual town service and a full lighting -supply and partial power supply to the country area. He pointed out that several consumers of power for milking plants were equipped with engine® in addition to the motors. By cutting off Supply to these and dividing the area into two divisions, it would be possible'to give the required power supply to each, area- for an h-oui and a half in the morning and a similar, period in the afternoon. In accordance with this proposal, he recommended that til© Manaia Road be made the dividing line of the two divisions, and that power supply be made available to consumers on the Manaia- Road and the area, to the east of thr- road from 4 a.m. to 6.30 a.m. and j 3 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.. while in the area, ivest of the Manaia Road it be made' available from 6.30 to 8 a.m., and 4.30 to 0 p.m. He stressed that during the hours mentioned current would have- to be preserved -for the use of motors and the use of electric irons would halve to be confined to hours between .8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Th • -recommendations w-ere adopted by the board, and- were -subsequently approved by the dairy company’s representatives. it being decided that the time-table be- put into operation -a.s from to-morrow (Saturday). 'RESTORATION COSTS' ESTIMATE. When the conference of the company and the board opened, the 1 engineer referred to the visit during the day of the representative of the State Eire Insurance Company, with which the plant was insured.. Hi-s recommendations were, of course, subject to ratification bv the head office, but he had intimated that he would recommend payment on a total destruction of the switchboard, the insurance being- £238. The question -of the alternator was reserved for the opinion of an expert o-n a description to be given by the engineer. The question to be considered was whether the cost of -reinstallation would be Jess than the .amount of th© policy, £240. The position regarding the exciter, which was insured -for £BO, would -be considered together with the generator. In reply to the chairman, the engineer further explained that with the construction of the new pipe line of 36 inches diameter the turbine power had been increased up to 160 h.p. in place of 140 as before. He did not wish it to he thought that This had had any direct bearing on the origin of the fire, but the increased turbine capacity would naturally make it possible for the machine to be overloaded. The machine’s capacity was 120 k.v.a., but it would probably .--develop up to 140 k.v.a. without danger., ; In view, however, of the increased capacity of the* pipe line, he would recommend, if it was decided to instal a new machine, that one of 140 k.v.a. be procured, in order to guard against any likelihopd of overloading. On the other -hand, if the old machine were rewound the outlay should be fully covered by the insurance, but it could not be expected that the machine would be restored to its original efficiency. To replace the switchboard would involve an estimated expenditure of £385, while an estimate of tlie cost of installing a new generator of the increased capacity, with the exciter, might be placed at., £SOO. RESPECTIVE LIABILITY.

Dealing with the question of the respective liability of the Dairy Company and the Town Board, the company’s secretary (iM'r. R. G. Cook) explained that under the terms of the agreement the board was responsible for the insurance of the plant up to the full insurable value, and in the event of destruction bv fire, and consequent necessity for reipstaliation, the board and the company were required to bear_ jointly the outlay not covered by insurance. No insurance had been arranged in respect of the building, oniy the roof aiicl timber fittings of which had, however, been destroyed. . The insurance on the plant might be fairly assumed to have fulfilled the terms of the agreement. On the engineer’s estimate, the difference in the amount of the policy covering the switchboard and the cost of replacement was approximately £l4O. Each party would therefore be liable for half of that amount. Also on the engineer’s estimate, tlie difference in respect of the generator was £IBO, for half of which each party was also re-, sponsible. The* company’s position, however, was that it owned the plant, and was ‘'therefore entitled to realise on any value of the damaged portion. In view of the engineer’s statement that the old machine if rewound coiild not be expected to be equal to its original efficiency, Mr. Hill proposed that a new machine be procured. During a discussion as to the position of the company if a machine of greater capacity than the old one was decided upon, the chairman of the board suggested that the company accept responsibility for its share of the replacement of a machine of the origin, al eaoacity, any extra amount involved in installing a* larger machine to be borne by the board. The chairman of the company was also of tlie opinion that it would be in the best interests of both parties if the generator were renewed. After further consideration the company representatives, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Hill, ■adopted . the following resolution:

That the Town Board be advised that so far as the building is concerned the company accepts no liability for replacement of damaged portion ; that so far as the damaged plant is concerned the company is "agreeable to the provision of the lease as to restoration being met by the installation of new plant of the same capacity as that burnt, this to apply to the' generator in particular, any other portion of the plant that can be reconditioned to be used again, and the company agrees to pay one-sixth of the cost of the restoration of the plant under these conditions; that the company has no objection to the board installing a larger generator provided it bears tile extra cost solely. With reference to the provision for the payment of one-sixth of the cost by the company, it was explained that the full insurance value provided for in the agreement was regarded as twothirds of the replacement value. Assuming the insurance arranged by the board to be that, the party was therefore responsible for one-sixth of the cost, this being one-half of the amount not covered by insurance. Acceptance of the intimation was signified' by tlie board members in the following resolution, which was adopted on the motion of the chairman, seconded bv CV Law: That the Town Board accepts the offer made by the Dairy Company relative to the apportionment of the cost of restoring the power-house plant, the board to bear the remainder less the sum of tlie insuiv . ance, and the total cost ,of the repairs to the building,/and the extra cost of a machine of a capacity of 160 horse-power (140 k.v.a.), and the engineer is authorised to order such larger machine accordingly, and to proceed to Wellington for that purpose.