POWER BOARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 14 July 1936, Page 3

POWER BOARD

MANAWATU-OROUA AREA. BEQUEST FOR. SUPPLY. The monthly meeting of the Alana-watu-Oroua Power Board was held yesteiday. Those present were Afestsrs C. G. C. Dernier (chairman), J. Hodgens, M.P., J. A. ’Nash, \\ AlcKay, J H. Mason, P. G. Guy, \V. P. Bickers, N. Campbell, J. Boyce, E. (). Bond and W. G. Shannon.

Following a request being made for a subsidy to assist toward meeting the cost of erection of further power lines in the Umutoi district, tile Department of Labour advised that a .reply had been received from the Minister of Finance (Hon. V. Nash). In his opinion hydro-electric development should he carried out without State assistance. No subsidy could therefore he approved for the work.-—The chairman moved that the letter be received, commenting that the hoard could do no good in this direction. The motion was seconded by Air Guy and carried.

Tile -Mayor of AYellington (Air T. C. A. H.slop) wrote inviting the appointment ol a delegate to attend a. meeting in Wellington to select, lour provincial representatives on the Centennial Committee.—The letter was received. The chairman remarked that it did not appear to be a matter which concerned tlio board.

The secretary ot the Apiti jubilee committee (Air Af. AlcKay) wrote thanking the board tor providing extra illuminations on the occasion or the recent jubilee.—Received.

Mr C. E. Corpe (Cunninghams) wrote asking lor u reduction in the charges inane lor current supplied to Ins sawmill. —At tlio request, of Mr Guy. the engineer (Mr \\. A. Waters) explained tire position and said that Mr Corpe was paying under the same tariff rate as applied to all other similar undertakings. On the motion of Air Guy. it was decided to write to Mr Corpe pointing that out. Mr Bickers urged that a new line at Almadale be erected as soon as possible an the power was required lor milking motors. It was decided that the line he erected as soon as possible. The engineer said that the work could be done in about a tortnight once it wa.s started. Mr Barkers moved that an extension l>a made at Kake.riki. The guarantee, l)e said, was sufficient, within a pound or two, to take the line to Air N. Blundell's property. There were, five additional Housed likely to take vim supply. The motion was seconded by Mr Mason and carried, a.nd it was decided to have the necessary formalities as to obtaining a permit from the Post and 'J olograph Department completed as soon as possible. Air AlcKay asked that finality should be reached in regard to the extentiou at Umutoi. He said that the individual guarantees were, large, and the problem was that the section was weak from a consumption point ot view. A subsidy should be granted to allow the line to he put in. Air Guy said the line would be a “Lie-line”’ which could be called on to supply other districts. Mr Nash thought that the guarantee should be higher than the 121 per cent, proposed. He thought that a subsidy of £250 would be a very generous sum. He moved that a subsidy of £250 bo made toward the cost, of the line where it would serve the board. Air Bond seconded the motion.

Air Campbell said that if the grant was made other districts would ask for. assistance. • Mr Nash: A'ou have. to help the backbloek settler.

Mr Hodgems commended the motion, saying that if the line was constructed the board would have a loopline finished. , . , . , . , Air AlcKay explained, m replying to a question by Mr Boyce, tluat tlie cost would be £3400. The chairman said that it might bo advisable to have the board s district surveyed to ascertain where such a position might arise again. Mr McKay remarked that in his opinion the subsidy would be granted on this occasion because the line would be a tie-line.-Air Bond suggested that the Afniister of Public Works (Hon.' R. Semple) be approached for assistance. The motion was passed, it being pointed out that the guarantees would have to be increased to cover the amount not provided for by the subsidv. . . . Mr Bond put his suggestion in the form of a motion, which was passed. The secretary proposed that application be made to raise £IO,OOO more of a loan of £55,000 that had been previously a-uthorisc-d., —The ]>ermission was granted on the motion of Mr Nash.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The report of the engineer (Air W. A. Waters) was as follows: ‘‘The Waiata extension has been completed and livened up, dud a seven-pole 400 volt line erected to supply a new consumer at Ohingaiti. A live-pole 230 volt line was erected at Haleombe to supply two new consumers, while 15 chains oi new low tension line were erected to supply a. pump, on a guaranteed revenue. iho line to Almadale is being pegged and work will be started as soon as possible. Two gangs are engaged in falling trees adjacent to the lines and the Apiti. feeder is now clear of trees to Cheltenham. Two hundred and twenty-two poles arrived from Australia, and tne balance are due about the middle of this month. The poles are being carted for the 3300 volt extension of one mile of line in the Lockwood area, which is being erected under guarantee. The 3300 volt extension in James’s Line (one mile) has been completed, the transformer erected, and supply given. The new line in connection with the metering of Massey College was erected and the outdoor metering equipment installed, so that all the meteiing is now through one meter. Ihe service line was run to the new laboratories at a factory at Bunnythorpe, and one existing 2o k.v.a. transformer was changed to a oO k.v.a. with the necessary alterations to cope with tho load. A short extension of about 20 chains of 400 volt heavy wire to supply four ranges and the lights in the hostel has been erected. An eight pole extension, for a guarantee consumer was erected in Jones s Line, while a twelve-pole service is under construction in Riverbed Road. A transformer at the Kalmterawa Stream, formerly ill n'se for a stone crusher, was dismantled and returned to the store, while a 50 k.v.a. transformer, which has been at the Pohangina River railway bridge lor the past two years to supply electric welders, has also been returned to the store. A large amount of maintenance work was carried out. including repairs to burnt arms at Malcowhai; repairs to the 3300 volt line at Aorangi; a broken wire on the 11.000 volt line at Poliangina; a tree oyer the lines at Rangiotii, and replacing a-'transformer on Railway Road. This transformer was undamaged, but a. power arc destroyed all -the 11,000 volt bushings on it, as well as wrecking the fuses. One gang is. still engaged ■on repairing the February storm

damage, and the stormy weather experienced during the past two months lias added to the repair bill. The new windings for the transformers damaged in February have, arrived irom England and these, transformers are now being repaired and dried out. The new consumers given supply during the month totalled 109, made up as follows : —Lighting and .heating, 20 ; motors for milking, 1; industrial motors (totalling 07 h.p.), '3; other motors, 24; ranges', 8; water heaters, 9'; additions to existing installations* 38. The above includes the new places on the Waiata extension,”.