Power and Heat in The Manawatu Area

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6625, 11 August 1931, Page 4

Power and Heat in The Manawatu Area

BOARD REVIEWS ACTIVITIES Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., presided over yesterday’s meeting of '.tho .ManawatuOroua Power Board,' there being also S-eseiit; Messrs. J.. Linklater, M.P., J. odgens, M. A. Eliott, P. J. Small, P. G. Giiy, L. T. McLean,. A. Campbell, F. Roborts, O. McEiroy, J. H. Perrett and H. 11. Hunt, Engineer’s Report Tho chief engineer (Mr. W. A. Waters) reported as .follows: “New line: A start was made on tho erection of one mile of 3300-volt lino in Gust’s road, Ohakca, and all tho poles and wires have boon erected, but completion of tho'job- has been held up owing to urgent work elsewhere. Early completion is expected. At Bunnythorpe sub-station the Public Works Department is installing its new equipment, and the necessary poles required to take a supply of tho new switchgear have been erected,,so that tho department can erect its cables and pothcads. TheAcquired..lso.yards of special .heavy cable has been ordered from material available from one of the mining com- ’ panics at Waihi. • - “Foilding lighting and water heaters: Work has been started on the overhauling of the Feikling street lamps, which have been erected about 17 years n6w. .Tho pipe brackets* have rusted through and many of the reflectors have to be replaced. Wc have had copper reflectors spun to tho required shape and. are replacing or repainting old ones as required. This: work is being carried out as conditions permit. The pilot, wire , system for Foilding hot water systems has been almost completed and the relays installed Li houses. The system has been in-use for nearly a fortnight. . Owing,to the'cold weather and dark ’afternoons, the system had to be used to. bold die..peak, loads from going up, and the advantage of this system to consumers is apparent, as the board edn take- t-he load off just when wanted, whil,e .the ponsumor gets more heating, as on' two days in one' week it was not used.at all, while on -the other five days the times ranged from 20 minutes to 40 minutes per day only. ; “General work: A considerable amount of work.,has been done on lines' in changing low-tension wires to suit new load?; gunning extra'wires for new milking .sheds, 'erecting new transformers,. etc., and. several long consumers’ service lines. Tree cutting has been done atAshhurst, Tiritea,' Pohangina, Abkauterc,' To ’ Matai, Banks’ line, Jqnos’-lino,'No. 1 .line, Whitmore road and at Colyton, etc. The following new consumers were', given a supply during the month: Lighting and heating, IS; motors for milking, 7; ranges, 5; water heaters. 9; industrial motors, 2; other motors, 9; additions to existing installations, 35; total, 85.’’ The report was adopted. General With reference to the installation of a pilot wire in a private hospital in Foilding and an inquiry for a continuous service, it was decided to allow tho request in this case. - The action of the engineer in employing several men, under the No. 5 relief scheme, to cut trees near power lines, was endorsed. Reducing Minimum Charge

Regarding his - notice of motion, “that from. August- 1, 1931, the minimum monthly, charge for lighting be reduced. jljv Guy said-that he had taken into- consideration the minimum charges, off--the".boards surrounding the district and also Palmerston North, which./liad-j^'. ; -2/6 minimum. It would, if adopted; avoid dissatisfaction among tho consumers, ho said. A report, furnished by the secretary did not advisb'tho adoption of this pro-posal,-owing to the fact that the estimates -had been reduced to tho minimum.''.,"".:':"": 'Mr. Ilodgehs, in seconding the motion pro fqrbia., said'he could not support it,

but favoured a reduction of 6d. A’lo per cent, cut on these lines would be justified.

Mr. Nash . favoured a concession on the lines suggested by Mr. Hodgens and declared that, the minimum should bo 4/6. Mr. Guy then amended his motion to conform with a 4/6 minimum, Mr. Hodgens Seconding the motion, which was carried. In regard to a request from the Milsou School Committee that the school be placed on a minimum of £1 per annum, it was eventually resolved to place all schools and churches on the minimum, basis. ' •