POWER RETICULATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 162, 10 June 1929, Page 6

POWER RETICULATION

MANAWATU-OROUA BOARD. MONTHLY REPORT. Tho following report on the activities of the month was presented to the meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board to-day by the chief engineer (Mr W. A. Waters)“Work is still proceeding in the Piri Piri area, and all the poles have been erected and partly wired. All the transformer platforms have been built, and the gangj are now 911 the work of erecting the river crossing span. It is expected that the Pohangina extension will be finished in three weeks. Two more 11,000 volt transformers have been erected in Boundary Road and tho extension of Gillespie’s Line is under construction to pick up two more consumers. Another 25 k.v.a. transformer was erected to supply Massey College. A large amount of small jobs in the way of maintenance and service lines throughout our area has been done during the month, and the feeds of various transformers altered and extra wires run for increased loads. The lorry has been engaged carting all poles likely to be required for the various jobs in hand and has now finished and been laid up. An alteration had to be,made in the lines at Himatangi, due to the corner being cut off in the new loading operations, which would have left our corner pole in a dangerous position, so we had to make alterations to suit.

“The following consumers were given a supply during the month: —Lighting and heating, 32; ranges, 23; water heaters, 20; motors for milking, 2; industrial motors, 2; other motors, 7; additions to existing installations, 31; total 117.

During the month the Manawatu River was in high flood and for the fourth time we had to remove the pole on Te Matai Bank, where a few feet of the bank disappeared. Previously, we had erected long cross-arms on the anchor pole in case of trouble, which precaution enabled us to save the cables and keep the line in service. The span is now too long for 7-14 copper to be safe, and a copper-clad steel cable is being ordered to replace the river span. Otherwise, we had no trouble with the flood.” STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The following statement of accounts showing the board’s position as at May 31 was submitted by the secretary (Mr K. Eglinton):—Amount of loans raised, £471,71)0; expended to date, £470,748; balance, £952; power fund advance, £12,322. Installations: Total sales and advances, £105,494 17s; collections, £94,400 15s 8d; outstanding, £11,094 Is 4d. Current: Collections May, 1928, £2714 7s 2d; collections May, 1929, £3313 13s 6d; an increase of 22 per cent. Consumers: Lighting and heating, 4173; water heating, 1017; ranges, 529; milking motors, 709; small motors, 396; dairy factories, 18 ; freezingworks, 2 ; industrial, 82; street lights, 253; community lights. 51.