POWER BOARDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 56, 3 February 1927, Page 7

POWER BOARDS

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS MEET. ANNUAL CONFERENCE. WELCOME TO DELEGATES. The annual conference of the secretaries and executive officers of the power boards of the Dominion —a two days’ fixture —was opened this morning at the Borough Council Chambers, Mr C. Campbell, of Invercargill, presiding over an attendance of upwards of fifty. Among those present were Mr F. T. M. Kissell, chief electrical engineer; Mr Malcolm Fraser, Government Statistician; Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., president of the Power Boards’ Association; and Mr H. F. Toogood, chairman of the Engineers’ Association.

At the outset the president extended a cordial welcome to all present and referred to the great value of the work that Mr Nash was doing in power board matters. Before concluding, Mr Campbell referred with regret to the absence of the Mayor of Palmerston North, caused by his recent bereavement. VALUE OF CONFERENCE.

“The formation of a secretary’s association,” stated Mr Nash in formally declaring the conference open, “met with the full approval of the Power Boards’ Association. Many of you will remember that I suggested and asked for the approval of the 1924 conference for both yours and the engineers’, and it must be patent to all that both organisations can do much good towards helping the association. You did well to select Palmerston North this year as the venue of your gathering. This town and district are destined to be a great centre, and will be known in a very short time as the Christchurch of the North Island.

“I have read with pleasure the report circulated by your president, Mr Campbell. It reflects very great credit upon him, and shows conclusively that he has a thorough grasp of all matters appertaining to the general working of power boards. Two matters in the report are, of special interest, viz., advertising and insurance. In my opinion we must carry on a very extensive advertising campaign, and I hope that the special committee set up at the last conference will have a scheme ready at an early date. This, of course, will need to have the approval of the association. I await also with interest the proposed discussion on insurance matters.

“To-day we have over 40 power boards in New Zealand, and hydroelectricity is only as yet in its infancy, and when we can say that practically the whole of New Zealand is linked up —and that will not be long—then we shall have something to be proud of. I hope your stay will be a pleasant one. We propose, if time permits, to take you to the Mangalrao works, also to our sub-station at Bunnythorpe. I also extend to you, on behalf of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, a Cordial invitation to attend a smoke concert to be given in your honour, at the band room to-night. “I think your president, in his report, has very aptly summed up the position as far as the conference is concerned, wherein he 6ays: ‘Our common interest is to discover: (a) means of greater efficiency; (b) methods of securing more business; (c) systems under which economies will be effected, and (d) generally to promote the development and progress of the functions which power boards were constituted to perform.’ ” “Mr Nash has been the life of the Power Boards’ Association since its inception,” stated Mr N. H. Speer, of Auckland, “and he has controlled its activities in wonderful manner.” The speaker went on to pay further tribute to Mr Nash’s ability and energy, and, on his motion, a very hearty voto of thanks was accorded that gentleman.

FUTURE OF HYDRO-ELECTRICITY A welcome was also extended the delegates by the Deputy-Mayor, Cr Graham, who, after apologising for the absence of the Mayor and referring in sympathetic terms to his bereavement, stated that the municipality was proud that Palmerston North had been chosen as the venue of the conference. There was no doubt, he proceeded, that there was a great future ahead of hydro-electricity, and only by the foresight and energy of the executive officers of the power hoards could everything advance as it should. As a result of the conference, he felt confident, further progress would be made, and he trusted that during tho delegates’ sojourn in Palmerston North they would take every opportunity of seeing the environs of the town and everything of interest. Palmerston North was progressing at a wonderful rate; in fact its present status was the result of only fifty years' growth. Concluding, Mr Graham expressed the hope that the delegates’ stay in the town would bo most instructive and enjoyable. Thanks for the welcome extended by the municipality were voiced on behalf of the conference by Mr D. McArthur (Te Awamutu). Tho conference then went on to discuss its business proper, and, following the presentation of the chairman’s annual report, extracts from which are published elsewhere in this issue, an address was given by Mr W. A. Waters, chief engineer to the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, and by Mr F. T. Ivissell, chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department, their remarks also appearing elsewhere. Mr Malcolm Fraser then gave delegates an interesting talk on the value of statistical information, pointing out the directions in which secretaries could obtain information of great value to their boards through tho simple gathering and tabulating of figures. Incidentally, he mentioned that the units generated per head of population in 1910-11 were 17.59 and that by 1925-26 the figure had risen to 248.78 per head. The speakers were accorded votes of thanks. The conference then adjourned for lunch. THE ORDER PAPER. Tho order paper for the conference is a very lengthy one and includes (inter alia) the following subjects :—Overseas publicity, information from overseas, employees and the public, association’s official organ, the audit office, publication of balance sheets, statistics, power board insurance, reserve for renewals, deposits from tenant consumers charges for testing meters, limitation in respect of recovery of installation accounts, security in respect of electricity guarantees, guarantees for extensions, exhibition of appliances, merchandising of appliances, evidence of service of electricity accounts, faults service, appliances under repair, clerk or secretary, electric lines inspection, hydro-electric film, electric road signs, manufacture of electric appliances, household electric refrigeration, lighting in the home, the press and electricity notes, electric power boards’ public risks, compensation in respect of

poles on private land, meter reading and billing, depreciation reserves and sinking funds, superannuation, filing systems, guarantees to be a charge on land, wholesale prices for. lamps, legalising interest payments," advertising on power board poles.