POWER FOR TAIRUA

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 32, Issue 32516, 13 December 1944, Page 5

POWER FOR TAIRUA

EXTENSION OF SERVICE

VALLEY POWER BOARD

SURVEY MADE OF DISTRICT

A full report on the cost of extending the power along the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula to as far as the Tairua harbour was tabled by the manager, Mr R. .Sprague, at the December meeting of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board.

The report read as under: “The f ollowing is a report of a light survey made by 'Mr G. P. Lindsay, assistant engineer, of the route for proposed supply line between the end •of the present h.t. line at Waihi and the board’s boundary at Tairua harbour. The salient features of the survey are as follows: — Distance of 42.5 Miles

“The distance from our present terminus to Tairua is 42.5 miles. There ■would be approximately 3.5 miles of antennae to embrace the offshoots from the main road. This would make a total minimum mileage of 46 miles to complete the project. There are approximately 100 habitable residences within reach of this scheme, also 25 milking sheds, three schools and one dairy factory; the three hotels are included in the 10.0 houses, as they are small and only of ordinary residence size for comparison e purposes. Cost of Work The cost of a line to supply the area covered by this survey would be: 46 miles at £soo' per mile —£23,000, together with property and houses (2} for- operating personnel at £l'3oo each, another £2600, bringing the total cost with incidentals to £26,000. This cost, at 15% per annum, would demand an annual revenue of some £3’9o0 | .\ The revenue to be expected immediately could be estimated; as follows:—40 residences at £lB each, £720; 60 residences at £5 each, £300; three schools at £3 each, £9; 25 sheds at £l5 each, £375; one dairy factory, £5O, £5O; halls and incidental revenue say £so—a total revenue of £1504 per annum, which would represent a return of 5.8% on the expenditure involved.

Two Men At Hikuai “If the scheme was proceeded with it would mean that two men would require to he stationed at say Hikuai for operational purposes, at an annual expense of something l in the neighbourhood* of £lOOO per annum for • wages; andi transport, alone, so that after absorbing this item of annual operating costs, the best that could be expected from the area in the way of revenue would be some £500:-odd to the general pool. “A copy of this report has been forwarded to the 'Electricity Controller and. the Rehabilitation Department.” It was decided to leave discussion on the subject until a reply was received from the Electricity Controller.