OPUNAKE POWER BOARD

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 9 March 1934, Page 5

OPUNAKE POWER BOARD

MONTH -’S WORK REVIEWED. * OVERDRAFT REDUCTION. CONVERSION LOAN ADOPTED. At the monthly meeting of the Opunake Power /Board it was shown that a substantial reduction! in the bank overdraft for the year had been made, and further benefits were felt to be assured by the adoption of the eonversion loan. There were present at the' meeting: Alessrs 'Geo. Goodwin (chairman), -W. C. Green, J. S. Tosland, A. J. Brennan, R. B. Fleming, E. A. Collins, C. O. Edmonds, the engineer (Air D. Fraser) and the secretary and treasurer (Mr,W. Sharp). Mr L 'M. 'Stephenson was released from his tenancy of the showrooms and it was resolved to advertise the showrooms for lease.

Authority was given to the South Taranaki Electric Power Board to extend its line on the Upper Oeo Road to supply four settlers, two of whom were in the Opunake Power Board’s district. Alessrs Collins, Tosland, the chairman and the engineer are to go into the application of the Kaponga Town Board to supply lighting to three settlers in the Kaupokonui survey district, and report to the next meeting. An application from a consumer to be considered as a permanent tenant and asking for a refund of the usual deposit was considered and it was deemed unwise to create any precedents. The question was discussed at length and it was finally decided that the board’s policy would be to make no refunds unless the owner of a house gave a fidelity guarantee. (Mr H. Pennington, Rahotu, is to be advised that the board will honour the verbal agreement made to meet 'half the costs of the re-wiring of his power motor.

Arising out of a complaint regarding the lighting service at the Rahotu Hall, the engineer, Air D. Fraser, explained that the trouble with lighting: in public halls could be attributed to the fact that at fancy dress dances •strings of coloured lights were used and the connections were weakened by inexpert handling. Public halls constantly needed inspection. He was instructed to inspect the Rahotu Hall and report to the next meeting. It was resolved to co-operate with the Town Board and the Seaside Committee to help with the erection of a siren to be used on the occasion of accidents on the beach.

The treasurer reported that the bank overdraft had been reduced from £5860 to £4076, a reduction of £1790. The board members considered this was extremely satisfactory. Referring to the report on the loan conversion scheme, the chairman considered the treasurer had brought down the report in a very reasonable and clever manner. The trip to Wellington had certainly been worth while. Mr C. O. Edmonds was of the opinion that the loan conversion would ultimately prove a great boon to the Power Board. There was a great saving in costs and he thought that appreciation of the Loans Board’s assistance should be placed on record.

The chairman felt assured that in every w r ay the scheme was a line one and he could not see how any other scheme could prove a greater benefit. Oil the motion of Mr -Tosland, seconded by Mr iCollins, the conversion scheme w r as approved of and carried unanimously. The report of the engineer (Mr D. Fraser) stated:; — Power House and Head Works. —The station has operated efficiently during the month. The highest demand recorded was 370 k.w., as against 450 for the corresponding period last year. The total units generated for the month Avere 107,900, as against 124,800 for February of 1933. The considerable decrease in units generated is entirely due to the decrease in the stream flow and the shorter running hours of the Diesel plant. Bulk power Avas taken from New Plymouth on 28 days, as compared with 22 days for the same period last year. It was necessary to dismantle No. 2 governor to repair a hurst in the circulating water pipe. Distribution. —The do-sapping and tarring of the high -tension poles at ■the ground level has kept the staff busy during the month. The dry weather is the only suitable time to have this Avork carried out; an inspection of the poles noAV may save many interruptions at a later date. The Pihama circuit is complete, Avith the exception •of the Nopera Road, where it is impossible to get near the poles on account of the overgroAvn iboxthorn hedges. Bo far there is only one pole showing signs of deterioration. One service line has been run to Mr Booker’s iicav house in King -Street. Installations connected during the month Avere as follows, figures for the corresponding period last year being shown in parentheses: Lighting points, 8 '(3); heating, 2 (3) ; field pumps, 1 (1); industrial motors, 1 (0); additions, 2 (7); reinspections, 26 (11). W. Sharrock has had his annual leave.

The report of the secretary (Mr W. ■Sharp) on the reA r enue earned up to and including the reading of meters in February, Avhich gaA-e ten months ’ revenue and a comparison with the same period last year. With those for 1932-33 in parentheses, the figures were <as folloAV: Lighting, £4724 (£4589)'; stoves, £966 (£886); industrial poAver, £1324 (£1291); milking poAver, £3457 (£3322); Avater heaters, £5Bl (£589); street lighting, £127 (£127); penalties, £146 (£148); totals,

£11,355 (£10,952); less 10 per cent, rebates. £lllO (£SO3); nett totals, £10,245 (£10,149). The nett increase was £96. 'The nett revenue for the February reading was £1153 and cash received was £1153. The total outstanding sundry debtors at February 28 was £692. This showed a slight increase on last month’s figures and A\'as perhaps a sign of the low payout by dairy companies in the district, but also the fact that February was a short month had obviously had something to do with the position, for several amounts had been received in. the first tAVO days of March. Consumers in arrears had been written to as usual, but in a large number of cases it Avas A-ery difficult to educate them up to paying promptly up to date, so that in some instances drastic measures would to be applied within the i next month.