KAPONGA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 20 April 1927, Page 4

KAPONGA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) TOWN BOARD. WORK OF ADMINISTRATION The monthly meeting of the Kaponga Town Board was held fast night. Present : Commissioners R. A. Law (in the chair), C. E. Betts, J. Gibson, and D. J. Kehely. Mr T. B. Fearou (electrical engineer) was also in attendance. An application for the use of the board’s instruments and the Town Hall for practices was granted, free of charge, to the promoters of the Kaponga Town band. The electrical engineer’s report for the month was submitted as follows: —• Power House. —Both power plants have operated satisfactorily during the month, free from electrical and mechanical troubles. On account of the intake screens choking with debris, it was necessary to shut the plants down upon two occasions, otherwise an uninterrupted supply has been maintained. The present screening system is inadequate, and without elaborate alteration and expenditure will never provide the turbines with water free from rubbish, irrespective of the 1- close supervision at present being given to the screens. However, by introducing electrically-driven, revolving screens the debris trouble can be entirely eliminated and recommend that 'authority be given to instal a screen of this nature in the' screening chamber on No. 2 pipe line. The estimated cost of this device is £SO and would consist of a continuous conveyor screen in the form of chain mesh netting. Headworks —On the evening of March 23 a flood of extreme violence was experienced on the Kaupokonui stream. This flood brought down a tremendous quantity of trees and rubbish, which were impounded on the crest of No. 2 dam. To' give access to the sluice-gate operating-gear a foot bridge is at present provided and depends on still stanchions imbedded in the weir crest for support. It was these members that caused the timber blockage, with the result the water level in the dam was raised several feet and ultimately overflowed the earth stop bank, discharging the water onto the Lower Manaia Road and causing a good deal of scouring to the footpaths and road' edging. The simplest way to obviate a recurrence of this trouble will be to- dismantle this bridge and its support and by so doing provide a free acress for any floods of similar magnitude. Lines.—The construction gang have erected a mile of high tension poles and conductors oil the Upper Miangawhero Road, besides reconstructing the existing 40Q volt lines in that vicinity. The gang are at present engaged on the 400 volt distribution on the Lower Mangawhero Road and upon the completion of this work a start will be made on reconstruction work towards Awatuna. My object in doing this section first is to obviate the necessity of disconnecting Rowan and ltiveriea factories as would be the case if reconstruction work was commenced from the Kaponga end. By the time the Awatuna section is overhauled these tivq factories will have eased up in their manufacture and the remaining portion can be started on without inconveniencing the factories concerned.

The engineer’s recommendation to install an electrically-driven screen at the intake, at an estimated cost of £SO, was adopted. It was resolved that the foot bridge across the spillway at the upper power dam be removed as a precautionary measure in the event of overflow.

It was resolved to adopt the provisions of a by-law to prevent the contamination of food during manufacture and sale, as embodied in a circular received from the Department of Health, in which were quoted sections of the Municipal Corporations Act and Health Act, 1920. Accounts amounting to £9SS were passed for pa.vment. GENERAL. The work of asphalting the footpath on the northern side of the main street has been commenced by the Town Board. This will be a decided improvement to the township. Intending competitors are reminded that entries for the Kaponga sports gathering, to be held on the 28th inst., close with the secretary (Mr A. Melville) to-morrow. KAPONGA BAND. For a considerable time the. want of a brass band in the town has been keenly felt, and the matter has recently been enthusiastically taken up by several leading townsmen. As a result of agitation in this direction the formation of a band composed of 22 instrumentalists is only a question of time and a little assistance from the townspeople and the Town Board*. At a recent meeting 'Mr A. Thomson was appointed secretary and Mr P. Thouniine acting-conductor. Four practices have been held, at .which there have been full musters of 22 members, and with a little encouragement there is every reason to assume that the town will shortly lie .served by an. organisation. qualified to All all Kaponga’s public musical requirements. In this, connection it may be mentioned that the town has not boasted an organised band since 1915, and the desire for its revival is so pronounced that the number of active members offering is much in excess of the' instruments available. The instruments in hand are the property of the Town Board, which has been pleased to grant the use of .same and the Town Hall for practices for two nights per week free of charge on condition that the proposed band is controlled by responsible townsmen. PERSONAL. Mrs.. E. A. and Misses. E. A. and Joan Bennie, who were publicly farewelled here last week, left Kaponga on Monday for their permanent home in Auckland. Mrs. Bennie has l)een an almost continuous resident of Kaponga for the past 36 years, * and leaves behind her a host of friends and well-wishers. Mr. Arthur Haggis, an employee under the Town Board, met with a painful accident at the latter end of last week, which will incapacitate him for two or three weeks. Whilst engeged on one of the board’s power lines the end of a heavy pole fell on one of his feet and crushed the major too. Mr. D. R Flannery, of the Bank of New Zealand, returned yesterday from a holiday trip to Gisborne. Mr. T. Ryan, of Petone, who has been spending the Easter holidays with his brother, Mr. J. F. Ryan, left to-day for Auckland. Messrs H. McLeod and B. Cutter, who have been busily engaged on the work for some time, "expect shortly to have the requisite machinery ready for treating the whole of the milk supply to the Rowan factory under the Zeala cheese process.