Hutt Power Board

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 4, 26 June 1946, Page 5

Hutt Power Board

POTJLTRY-KEEPERS' REQUEST . PROBLEMS OF SUPPLY The Hutt Valley Electric Power Board met on Thursday, there being present. Messrs. G. H. Giesen (in the chair), 11. Green, A. Walker, S. Blackley, R. W. Bothamley, J. B. Yaldwyn, J. Huggan, J. Purvis, J. W. Andrews and P. Dowse; also Messrs. T. R. Robinson (managerengineer.) and H. E. Mcßain (secretary). The Rural Electrical Reticulation Council asked tor maps of areas, with prospective consumers and extent of reticulation. The chairman said that the Hoard's area was practically fully reticulated. The Mayor of Wellington wrote llinulviiig Die Board for its donation of £IOO Lo the Cathedral Fund. Mr. Andrews said that the donation was made as an employing authority, as the names of some of the Board's employees would be included in the honours roll in the proposed chapel. Poultry-Keepers and Cut-oil' ..The Hutt Valley Registered Poul-try-keepei|s' Association wrote regarding the cut-off of power in relation to the poultry-hatching season, stating that the cut-off of two l;ours in the night would make hatching impossible as the chicks would suffocate. The industry could get on all right with two half-hour cuts during the night. The manager-engineer stated that in orderxto meet the poultry keepers' needs he had made some alterations in the cut-off hours. There would be a maximum of three half-hour cuts at night from Monday till - Aday and no cut on Saturday and Sunday nights. The cuts must be four or five hours apart. The Electricity Controller, writing on the same question, said that any discrimination between daily and poultry farming would be difficult to justify. On the motion of Mr. Walker, who said that the poultry business was a big asset artel should be fostered, the manager-engineer's action was approved. Supplies of Power Mr. Andrews considered that the Board was entitled to a little more consideration from the Electricity Controller in regard to supplies of power. There was not nearly so much restriction on lighting in Wellington as in the Hutt Valley; he had seen the Dixon Street ffats and other buildings in Wellington a blaze of light. In. the Hutt Valley there had been a tremendous increase in the demand for power and they should not have to put up with such irksome restrictions. The manager-engineer said that the Board had been treated very fairly by the Electricity Controller. Lines at Back of Sections The Director of Housing Construction' wrote that the difficulty regarding the construction, of power lines at the back of sections could be overcome by the Department giving the Board power to do the work: The chairman said it would be more expensive to erect lines at the back of sections and the Government should be asked to contribute the extra cost. The manager-en-gineer considencjd there would be an increase of ten per cent in the cost of construction and there would also be a. big increase in the maintenance cost. Mr. Green said that if the work was done they would be faced with all kinds of difficulties. The matter was left in the hands of the engineer and the Board's solicitors. The Board decided to make its Usual contribution of £67/10/0 to the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities Association.