Electric Current For Farm Work

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 288, 5 December 1936, Page 12

Electric Current For Farm Work

UNDERGROUND CABLES IN PLACE OF POLES TE AROHA, Dec. 2. Inquiries received from consumers as to the cost of installing underground services to their farms were the subject of a report by Mr W. G. McLeod, the board’s engineer, at a meeting of the Thames Valley Power Board. He said that tho inquiries had been numerous after severe storms.

An estimate had been made of the cost of installing the cables on the assumption that the farmer would dig the necessary trench and fill it in after the cable had been laid, Mr McLeod said. Underground cables, properly laid and connected, had been in service in Britain over 40 years without any maintenance. With the considerable advance in the art of cable manufacture in recent years, it was reasonable to believe that modern cables would give at least as good service. In many cases the smallest cables would be quite large enough for isolated pumps and for milking sheds, ho added. Where complete household supplies, as well as milking sheds had to bo catered for, larger cables would be indicated.' The cost of installation for one house and ono shed, with two conductors, was estimated at £l2 9s for one chain and £69 9s for 20 chains.

Relatively, there had been comparatively little damago due to overhead lines, but to the individual affected it might bo a very serious matter. Tho fact that underground mains presented no eyesore on tho farm and that they had a comparatively long life might induce consumers to adopt them.

It was decided that the tabulated costs and full particulars compiled by the engineer should be available to consumers.