ELECTRIC POWER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 270, 29 October 1932, Page 5

ELECTRIC POWER

THE CENTRAL H.B. BOARD. BUSINESS OF THE MONTH. (Special Representative.) The monthly meeting of the Central Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board was held at Waipukurau yesterday, the chairman (Mr A. C. Russell) presiding over • Messrs M. Ryan, J. A. Kerr, F. J. Witherow, C. Pattison, R. A. Fraser, A. W. 8. Longley, A. C. Holms and W. H. Rathbone. The engineer (Mr J. K. Lee) and the secretary-manager (Mr G. E. Fowler) were also in attendance. A letter was received from the Wairoa Electric Power Board conveying a hearty vote of thanks for the Central Hawke’s Bay Board’s ready offer or assistance to repair damage done, by the earthquake on September 16. Although it was not found necessary to take advantage of the board’s offer, the action was very much appreciated.—Received.

The Wairoa Electrical Power Board wrote in connection with the Central Hawke’s Bay Board’s letter regarding the proposal submitted by the Wairoa board, that the Poverty Bay, Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay and Central Hawke’s Bay boards should unite for the purpose of requesting the Government to amalgamate the bulk supply requirements of the four boards and assess them as one supply, with a view to securing supply at a cheaper rate. The writers noted that the Central Hawke’s Bay board considered that the matter was one of a national rather than a sectional one, and should be approached from that standpoint, and advised that they had decided not to proceed • further with the proposals at present.— Received. A letter was received from Mr W. P. Smith, former postmaster at Waipukurau, thanking the board for its letter of congratulation.—Received. The District Public Trustee advised that the Public Trustee was prepared to release the sum of £1750 from the Depreciation Fund when required, sub ject to one week’s notice being given before actual withdrawal. —Received ELECTRIC LIGHT LOAN. The Shell Lime Company, Waipukurau, made application for the installation of electrical plant for the company, situated at Maharakeke. The matter was left to the chairman, secretary and engineer to report to the next meeting. A letter was received from the Public Trust office, Wellington, concerning the Waipukurau Borough Council electric light loan, matured July 1, 1932. The board’s letter to the office on September 27 had intimated that the board considered that the lattef should draw out a standard table of payments in multiples of, say, five-year periods and that no charge should be made for the table. The writers stated that they had no acturiai staff attached to have the tables prepared, so that they had to be done by the Government actuary. The fee charged to the local body was the actual amount which the Public Trustee had to pay for preparation of the table. The writers regretted, therefore, that the board’s request could not be accede! to. Mr Holms pointed out that the office did not need fo prepare the table each time it was required by a local body. It should not be a charge in perpetuity. The letter was received. COUNTY CO-OPERATION SOUGHT. The Waipawa County Council wrote stating that the board’s letter asking the council’s co-operation in regard to trees overhanging the roadways, was read and discussed at the October meeting of the council. The council had decided to give what assistance it could, but on perusing section 170 of the Public Works Act, 1928, the members were of the opinion that the section did not give them the power as indicated in the board’s letter. The chairman stated that the sec-retary-manager, the engineer and himself had been appointed a deputation to interview the Waipawa County Council on the matter, adding: “I think a personal interview will go further than a letter.” REMOVAL OF POWER POLES.

“In consequence of the decision of the Court of Appeal that the county council is liable for the cost of the removal of poles rendered necessary upon the alteration of a road, the Audit Office has ruled that any contribution to such cost of removal made by a power board is not authorised by law, and cannot be made except out of ‘unauthorised’,” wrote the Electric Power Boards’ and Supply Authorities’ Association of New Zealand. Continuing, the letter stated that under these circumstances power boards were notified that the arrangement made between the Counties’ Association and the writers could not be given effect to unless in any specific case the power board was prepared to make its payment by way of unauthorised expenditure. It was understood that the Counties’ Association was taking steps to obtain legal authority, for such arrangements as to contribution, but in the meantime the position of the power boards was that mentioned above.—Received.