HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 June 1929, Page 8

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

MEETING OF HOSOWHENUA POWER BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board was held on Tuesday in the Municipal Chambers, Levin, there being present: Messrs G. A. Monk (chairman), W. E. Earner, T. G. Vincent, R. Bryant, E. S. Morse, G. Hyde, C. Blenkhorn, G. P. Petheriek and A. Seifert, Mr. P. W. Goldsmith (secretary and treasurer), and Mr. J. A. Smith (engineer). Tlie Shannon Borough Council made application for the installation of two additional lights—one in Sheehan Street and the 'other at the corner of Vance nd -Margaret Streets. —The matter was referred to the engineer. The Government Statistician (Mr, Malcolm Eraser) wrote asking for returns relating to selling rates of electricity, for the information of the Canadian Government Statistician. — The secretary was authorised to supply particulars at his convenience. Treasurer’s Report, The following report was submitted by the Treasure r:— Payments. —Heavy interest payments have boon met since the last meeting of the Board. The half-yearly debenture No. B 7 fell due on May 31st, the amount pail into the Government Insurance account to meet same being £135(3 J(3s sd. The half-yearly int Croat on the £BO,OOO loan from the AMT. Society falls due in Sydney on the 21st hist Hence the amount of £2200 has already been forwarded. The bank rate of exchange do Sydney is It will thus be seen that the accounts submitted for confirmation total a large amount this month —viz., £-1363 (5s ild. Besides interest, (hose payments include wages, salaries, installations, motor registrations, freight and sundries. The accounts to be passed amount, to £O2l l(3s 7d. It will he seen that the chief items of expenditure are for. copper-wire, one 25 k.v.a. transformer, meters, insulators, sleepers and timber, oenzine and rent of offices. Receipts. —-The cash takings for 'he year so far are shown hereunder: — .Sundry debtors for installations .... IS3 091 Interest on instaHaMav. A pril-Ma v. £ ■■£ Electricity 2141 7840 t’enalties 30 47 Sundries 3,4 102 lions 0 20

£"701 £B7IO (Shillings and pence omitted). £SOOO (Hid!)) Reticulation Lou. —In reference to the exchange of debentures with Centra! Electric, Power Board, the secretary writes that, as soon as we are ready, he ’can semi to fixtures each, Foxtuii and Shannon bentures to ilie value of £SOOO to be handed over on receipt of our debentures of the same value. I have informed him that our debentures are now ready and the transaction win doubt less'he completed in a few days. 'file report was adopted, on the motion of M.r, Vincent, seconded by the chairman. Engineer’s Report. For the period since the last Board meeting, the engineer reported as follows : ■ Fifteen new service lines have been erected and extra phases run un one existing service. Twenty-eight pules have been carted out, titled and erected, and MSP) chains of wire run. L.T. was extended at Paraparaunui to supply Weggery’s woolshed, and at Muroliri to supply M.r. ’Wilson’s houses and shed. Extra phases are being,run at Ohau to supply a range .consumer. The temporary line to the Hautere crasher was dismantled and all material returned to store. The supply to the crusher at Muhuiuia was put in service during the period. A 5(1 k.v.a. transformer was erected at Manakau township in place of the 25 k.v.a. on account of increased load. The 350 k.v.a. transformer from Minima Mill has been brought into store for general overhaul and drying. This transformer and two others have been re-conditioned. The usual general maintenance calls and street lamp re-newalg have been attended to. .Seventy-live single-phase and .12 polyphase meters have been tested, live repaired and re-tested. General. —I attended the Electric Supply Authority Engineers’ Association’s conference on May 22nd and 23rd. There was a large attendance of engineers from all parts of the Dominion, and officers of the Public Works, Post and Telegraph, and 1 Railway Departments, were also present. Papers were read ahd fully discussed on the following subjects:—"A.C. Static Balancers," "Transformer Testing," "Off Peak Users of Electricity, " "Unusual Conditions met in 06,000volt Transmission," "Fuses for Protection of Small Transformers," "TestMeters," "Variation of Atmospheric Temperature with Height above Ground,’’ "Galvanised Steel Wire Conductors," "Leakage Relay Protection, " and Water Heating." A number of important suggested amendments to the Electrical Supply and Wiring. Regulations were brought forward and discussed, and the recommendations will be submitted to the Public Works Department for consideration. Very useful information was furnished by various engineers, which will be of considerable value to all concerned. Porch for Depot. The chairman stated that the engineer desired the erection of a porch over the front door of the depot in Levin. Just inside, there was several thousand pounds’ worth of material, such as relays and high tension switches; and in heavy westerly rains ’it was very difficult to open the front door without allowing a considerable amount of moisture! to gain access. A porch would be very helpful to the staff in keeping a look-out in times of storm. The cost would be about £3O, -and the Finance Committee recommended that the work be carried out. The recommend,a!icm was adopted. Raumati Beach. Mr. Pcthcrick asked the engineer to report as to what had been done in

connection with the application by Mr. Eatwell for an extension of the line to reticulate the Raumati Beach settlement. The engineer stated, in reply, that he hud made an estimate of tho cost. He had seen Mr. Eatwell and asked him to' ascertain whether it was possible to got a guarantee of the required revenue’ this would be -about £l.>o a year. There were only 20 houses at present, and they woma bring in about £9O. Mr. Eatwell was to see the owners of the land and find out if any arrangement could be made to bring tho revenue up to the necessary amount by guarantee. Long-distance Consumers. Mr. Barber made reference to the existence of possible further consumers at Marotiri, and asked if any cheaper method was available for linking up places at long distances. The engineer stated that there was a limit to the distance over which low tension wire would function. He could not erect anything of a cheap nature that would be consistent with safety and lasting qualities. The engineer's monthly report, was adopted.