MANAWATU-OROUA POWER BOARD

Manawatu Times, Volume XLXI, Issue 3480, 14 December 1926, Page 10

MANAWATU-OROUA POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the iVUinawatu-Oroua Power Board yesterday there were present Messrs J. A. Nash, M .P. (in the chair), J. S. Tingoy, J. H. Vincent, O. HcElroy, L. McLean, J. Hodgens, J. Linklater, M. A. Eliott, F. Arbon, and Sir James' Wilson. Correspondence. Mr J. C. Hill (Feilding) wrote pointing out that the Board had erected five poles six feet inside his section, just outside the borough boundary, and these being building sections he asked that the Board meet him and discuss a possible remedy.—Received. the matter being left. in. the hands of Mr MoElroy and the . engineer, A letter was received from the New; Zealand Society of Civil Engineers,,,asking, that the Board allow the engineer to attend the annual conference in Auckland on March 14th,. 1927.

"I think it' necessary that the engineer should attend all such conferences,’’ said a member. It was resolved that the engineer be allowed to go. The Palmerston North Borough Council wrote stating that the Board’s letter re agreement would be considered by the Council ot its next meeting, when its decision would bo communicated to the Board- — Received.

The ’ Public Works Department wrote giving report on the inspection of the -Board’s lines, as carried out by the Public Works Department inspector. and giving list of alterations required.—Received. Engineer's Report. The engineer (Mr W. A. Waters) reported for the past month as lows:-—-A small party had been engaged on the 11,000-volt line in Bcaconsfield Valley and was nearly completed. With the erection of transformers and necessary service connections, it would be livened at an early date. The Halcombo-Sanson tic line wiring had been extended a mile on poles previously erected, and with a short 400-volt line had given supply to six more consumers, including two ranges and water heaters. In Feilding Borough when Duke, Marlborough, Monmouth and Bytton streets were finished, the conversion of consumers’ reticulation to threephase would be completed. The short line to pick up six new consumers on" Reid’s track had been finished.

The line on McKean's Road. Kopane, had been completed. Extensions in Manawatu County and Kairanga County to feed new consumers had boon made, and where necessary transformers' added to system to cope with growing load. In addition

to above, where possible the staff were putting the finishing touches to linos previously erected. During the month a visit had been received from Mr Henry, the inspecting engineer of Public Works Department, who spent a week inspecting all the lines. With the exception of a few’ minor details which had since been put right, the Board had been credited with a clean sheet.

The Feilding house now used by Mr Donaldson required painting at once, as in many, places the sashes and boards wore completely bare to the weather. Throe prices had.been received for the job, the lowest being £3O. Siberia Road investigation had not yet been completed, and still wanted a slight amount of extra load before the work was gone on with.

Colyton area had been partly canvassed, and was not at all promising 1o date. In one mad six miles long there were 23 houses, and six of them unoccupied. This was a bad time of the year to do canvassing, ns the farmers were busy with shearing and farm work held up due to. the late season. —The report wa s adopted. Statement of Accounts.

The statement of accounts showed that the amount of loan money was £441,700, and the amount expended to date £378,948. The collections to date were £20.770 9s Bd, an advance ot £7017 3s Id on the previous year. The installations to date were £OS, 847 14s lOd, of which £51,809 13s 7d had been received, leaving a balance outstanding of £15,038 Is 3d. The consumers wore sub-divided as follows: —Lighting and heating consumers, 3488; milking motors, 470; industrial motors, 68; miscellaneous motors, 160; ranges, 170: -water heaters. 418; street lights, 237. Mr Nash intimated to the Board that there was a possibility of the Public Hospital installing an electric range, and he suggested to the Board that they should install the range at cost price. The Board were agreeable to the suggestion.