NEW GANG TO BE FORMED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4800, 21 June 1939, Page 5

NEW GANG TO BE FORMED

MAINTAINING EXISTING SUPPLY. HOW LONG WILL CONSTRUCTION LAST? The question as to whether the Waitomo Power Board should form a line alterations and overhaul gang, in addition to its construction gang, was keenly debated at the Board meeting on Monday. The engineer, Mr. Davidson, considered that as construction work was still in hand, preventing the construction gang from being diverted to overhaul work, a gang of three men, with truck and equipment, be formed immediately. He referred to a letter from the Otorohanga Town Board complaining of voltage fluctuations in Maniapoto Street, Otorohanga, and said that the position there was very much as was explained in the letter. Apart from this, a considerable amount of overhaul, line alteration and strengthening remained to be done, and to date the Board had not the transport nor staff available to carry it out. These works included the relocation of the lines bounding the aerodrome. Mr. Simms said that the question was how long the line construction would be continued. The pace was slackening up now, and was the Board sure of getting sufficient loan money to carry on? In face of this position would the Board be justified in purchasing the new truck that would be necessary? The future did not look too happy.

The secretary, Mr. Seeker, said the Board could not carry on without fresh capital. Mr. Lee said it was a bad lookout for everyone if a sound body like the Board could not obtain capital to carry on. The engineer said that he was quite prepared to let the matter remain in abeyance so long as the Board fully appreciated the position and were prepared to accept the criticism likely to eventuate. He added that one truck would require replacement during the year, so that if a new truck were purchased and work slackened off, this old truck could be sold outright. Mr. Lee said he felt that the extra truck should be purchased and the work brought up to date. On Mr. Brook’s motion, seconded by Mr. Lee, it was decided to adopt the engineer’s report providing for the formation of the gang and the purchase of the necessary truck.