MANUFACTURE OF CONCRETE POLES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 June 1938, Page 4

MANUFACTURE OF CONCRETE POLES.

POWER BOARD INTERESTED. At Tuesday’s mooting of the Horowhenua Power Board, Mr. A. E, Hyde (Shannon) asked what steps had been taken by the committee recently set up, to investigate the possibility of the Jhoard manufacturing its own concrete power.poles. “This is a very important mat lor,” said Mr. Hyde. “A committee was recently set up and I had hoped that a report would have been presented before this, I would like to see the board reach some finality on this proposition without any undue delay.” The chairman (Mr. G. A, Monk) said that ho would have to take any blame for any delay which might have arisen m the committee going into the question of the manufacture of concrete poles. He had not deemed it wise to take the matter up prior to the local body elections, but there was no reason whv it should not be expedited now. The engineer had been busy collecting data for submission to the committee. The board would have to give careful consideration to the question, as it was a l>i r 4 one, and decide whether it would be best to manufacture the poles itself or engage a contractor to do so. If the former course was adopted, it would have to consider the best location, etc. Mr. D. Richards suggested that the besi locality for the manufacture of poles would be at Otaki, where an unlimited supply of metal was available in a handy location. The chairman said that tests of the metal .available 1 along the coast had (been canoed out and these had proved the best metal —the hardest —was located in the 01i.au River. That of the Waikanae River was second and that of the Otaki River next. That, howover, was of no great moment insofar ns the manufacture of concrete poles was concerned as reinforcing and mixing played the most prominent part.

The engineer (Mr. J. A. Smith) said that he would have all the data he required availalble at an early date. As far as he could estimate at the present time, it would cost the board somewhere in the vicinity of £SOO to obtain the necessary plant to start operations. “I am fully convinced that we will have to manufacture our oavu 33 ft. and 24 ft. poles for the 11,000-volt lines and service lines respectively,” said Mr. Smith. A fcAV hardwood poles would always be required, he added, for corners, but a very fine three-cornered pole was being turned out at Hawera to-day for the purpose ho had indicated and he could see no reason why the board should not be able to turn out a similar pole at a price to compete with the imported hardwood pole.

Mr. Richards said that a visit to the Waipuknrau concrete pole works had been suggested some time ago, and he would like to see members of the (board make the inspection. It AA r as decided that the engineer arrange for members to visit Waipuknrau before next meeting when it is anticipated that the board will be in possession of all the necessary data to enable it to go fully ibto the proposition.